VLADIVOSTOK: The APEC 2012 Leaders Meeting took off here Saturday, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak joining 20 other heads of economies to deliberate on the developments in Asia Pacific and its future direction.
Najib had a bilateral meeting with the President of host country, Russia, Vladimir Putin earlier in the day.
He also met with three other head of economies, namely Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Phillip Key, Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra and Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard.
On Sunday, he is expected to meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Philippines President Benigno Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
While the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s position is that of a platform for the setting of trade directions and cooperation among its members for their mutual economic development and progress, in a non-binding environment, this year’s event as in the past, will continue to see other current non-trade issues raised at the sidelines of the summit. –Bernama