THE Prime Minister will push his proposal for a European Union-style Asian community with more integrated economies and security and strategic policies when the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum begins in Peru.
Kevin Rudd arrives in Lima this morning Sydney time for meetings with international leaders which are expected to be dominated by the global financial crisis.
A week after he attended a G20 summit in Washington to discuss the economic crisis, Mr Rudd will spend the weekend in the company of figures ranging from the US President, George Bush, and the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, to the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and this year's APEC host, the Peruvian President, Alan Garcia.
The annual meeting brings together heads of government from 21 Asian-Pacific countries to discuss regional issues including economic development, trade and investment links, and security and strategic co-operation.
But the global financial crisis and the prospect of sharply slowing economic growth will be the major themes this year. Leaders are expected to discuss APEC's goal of reducing trade barriers, and the state of play in the World Trade Organisation Doha round of negotiations for a new global free trade deal. Australia will be pushing for a strong pro-free trade statement.
APEC leaders will also discuss climate change before critical United Nations negotiations which will try to reach a global agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to replace the Kyoto Protocol by the end of next year.
Mr Rudd and Mr Yudhoyono will present a joint plan to the APEC leaders on disaster preparedness and relief efforts, drawing on the lessons of the 2004 Asian tsunami.
Before the leaders' retreat at the weekend, he will address a summit of APEC chief executives and call for international action to tackle the financial crisis.
"He will also discuss the importance of co-operation in meeting other challenges, including climate change, and the importance of regional architecture that helps meet these aims," a spokeswoman said.
Mr Rudd will have meetings with his host, Mr Garcia, and the newly elected Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key. It will be his first bilateral meeting with Mr Keys, who has canvassed stronger integration of the Australian and New Zealand economies, including monetary union.
■ Phillip Coorey reports: The moderate federal Liberal MP Petro Georgiou is expected to resign from politics at the next election. Mr Georgiou is understood to have told friends at a function last night marking his 14 years in Parliament. His decision will spark a feisty preselection for the blue-ribbon Melbourne seat of Kooyong.
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