BANGKOK - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders ended their two-day annual summit in Bangkok with a joint statement.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the meeting's host, read aloud the document, which expresses support for WTO membership for Russia and Vietnam, the only two APEC members not already in the world trade body.

The declaration also calls for the peaceful settlement of North Korea’s nuclear problem and for the resumption of talks on the issue, involving North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, the United States and Russia. In addition, APEC nations stressed the necessity to further liberalize the market and to combat the SARS virus, Rossiya (Russia) television reports.

APEC leaders supported Washington’s idea to set up an anti-terrorist fund, affiliated with the Asian Development Bank. According to Thaksin Shinawatra, APEC nations realized the necessity of setting up this fund to support measures to ensure security and stability in the region. The US said it was ready to allocate $5.4m to the fund.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the APEC summit in Bangkok, is scheduled to pay a state visit to Thailand on October 21-22, at the invitation of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej. During the visit, Mr. Putin will meet with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The development of bilateral relations and cooperation in international affairs will be discussed at the meeting.