KEY POINTS:
SYDNEY - Foreign Minister Winston Peters will meet with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for a one-on-one meeting tomorrow.
Mr Peters and Trade Minister Phil Goff arrived in Sydney today to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum surrounded by the tightest security Australia has ever seen.
Officials told NZPA that Mr Peters had gained the diplomatic prize of a one-to-one meeting with Dr Rice tomorrow evening (NZ time).
Improving New Zealand/United States relations and next week's NZ/US partnership forum to be held in Auckland will be high on the agenda, as the two countries continue to look at ways to work around the nuclear issue and co-operate together in other areas.
It is expected that Mr Peters will praise Deputy Secretary of State Chris Hill for his work in the warming of relationships and the greater co-operation in dealing with Pacific issues.
North Korea is also likely to be discussed with Mr Peters hoping for a briefing on the status of talks over that state's nuclear programme.
Mr Peters has accepted an invitation to visit North Korea, but a date has yet to be set.
Dr Rice is also expected to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
Iraq is high on the agenda for the US government at the moment, with President George Bush flying into Australia this evening.
This is earlier than initially planned so he can return to Washington in time for a crucial report on progress on the occupation of Iraq.
President Bush is under increasing pressure at home and internationally to withdraw US troops.
He is also to get a taste of how some Australians feel, with thousands of protesters expected to mark his presence.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has been a staunch supporter of the US-led invasion and Mr Bush, but the stance has angered many who opposed the war.
Guarded by thousands of police and soldiers, Mr Bush and the 20 other Apec leaders will meet behind a 5.5 kilometre, almost 2.8 metre high "barrier of steel", built to keep the protesters and terrorists out.
Leaders are likely to clash over climate change policy and stalled world trade talks.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said leaders would also be focused on the state of World Trade Organisation's Doha round of trade talks which were yet again in a state of "crisis" with the major developed countries and the major undeveloped countries in a stand-off.
Apec is the first major meeting of leaders since the talks derailed again in Geneva earlier this year.
The round of talks had been going on for six years - the last successful set of trade talks, known as the Uruguay round, took eight years to complete.
Miss Clark said these talks took time and the leaders' summit would be significant if it could bridge the gap between developed and developing nations.
Mr Goff told reporters before his departure today that the WTO talks were at a "critical" point.
"We have a major problem with non-agricultural market access," Mr Goff said.
"I think that if the leaders of the major economies of the world coming together this week can give a real push that may be the momentum that is needed, to get forward progress.
"Otherwise the outlook would look rather dismal, with a likelihood of a suspension of the talks through the American presidential year. We don't want to lose that time, we would really like to make progress over the next month. We will be doing everything we can to try to get that momentum."
Miss Clark leaves for Australia on Friday ahead of the leaders' summit on Saturday and Sunday.
Mr Peters and Mr Goff will attend their ministerial meetings on Wednesday and Thursday.
- NZPA
