21.   Under Chinese pressure, the Philippines followed the example of previous APEC hosts and refused to allow Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to attend the informal leaders summit.

22.   Zedillo left Shanghai for Manila, where he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit Monday, before going on to Singapore and South Korea.

23.   Lee has named government officials to attend the leaders summit on his behalf over the past four years.

24.   Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday left for a Central Asian leaders summit after landmark talks here with Indian Premier Inder Kumar Gujral, officials said.

25.   Subsequently, the Philippines rejected pressure to have Lee at the informal leaders summit, which will also be attended by Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

26.   The agreement will hopefully be ready for signing by ASEAN members and other Southeast Asian nations during the ASEAN leaders summit in Thailand in December.

27.   The officials will also discuss the issue of new members, although a final decision will only be made at the November leaders summit, Macaranas said.