Updated at 5.31pm: Apec officials were locked in a series of intense negotiations on Friday to narrow differences between members on the group's joint statement on combatting terrorism.
Delegates said the declaration, due at the close of the two-day leaders' summit tomorrow, was being amended to take account of concerns expressed by both Muslim countries and China that civilians be protected as far as possible.
The document will be the first overtly political statement that the Asia-Pacific Economic Pacific (Apec) forum's 12-year history. The group traditionally focusses on trade-related matters.
Indonesia - the world's largest Muslim country - and Malaysia have both condemned terrorism, but added that they were concerned that as few innocent civilians as possible were caught up in US-led military action against the Taleban.
Officials in Shanghai told reporters that while there was a general consensus on how to address terrorism, delegations were still attempting to refine the texts' finer points.
''There might still be amendments. Every country can have its say,'' a Russian official was quoted as saying. Apec works by consensus.
