Subtle signs appear on streets

The countdown is beginning to the Apec talks that will climax in September. CHRIS DANIELS reports on an emergent security operation.

Gleaming new cars and police officers lurking about inner-city hotels will be the only sign next week that Apec has started to infiltrate Auckland.

Trade ministers from the 21 Apec economies will arrive on Monday, ready to talk trade liberalisation when they meet in the Aotea Centre.

Organisers promise there will be none of the road closures, police searches or motorcades that Aucklanders will have to cope with during the leaders' meeting in September.

An Apec police spokeswoman, Robyn Orchard, said many people would not even realise the meeting was on.

"They won't notice a great deal in terms of the police operation. We have got a police operation happening and obviously we will be using the trade ministers' meeting to run through some of our systems and processes."

Some may notice an increase in the number of late-model, sponsor-provided cars around town, but there will be no lengthy processions of security guards and officials.

Robyn Orchard said the "mini-motorcades" would be two vehicles travelling together, obeying all traffic lights and mingling with other traffic.

"They will be just like any other traffic."

More uniformed police in the central business district might be another sign that Apec is in town, she said, with officers stationed around the major hotels and the Aotea Centre.

About 500 people are expected to be in Auckland for the meeting, 450 of them from overseas.

A media centre in the Aotea Centre's Herald Theatre will be the home of the 140 accredited media representatives.

Public areas will not be sealed off, though parts of the Aotea Centre will be open only to people with official Apec accreditation.

The leaders and their officials will be officially welcomed in the Aotea Centre on Tuesday morning.

They will later travel by boat to the Gulf Harbour Country Club on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, before a dinner at The Heritage hotel in Hobson St.

The agenda for their talks will probably include voluntary and unilateral trade liberalisation and Apec's relationship with the World Trade Organisation.

While the security operation will not be as noticeable as that planned for the leaders' meeting, Robyn Orchard said specialist police teams would still work during the trade meeting.

Search teams would make sure the hotels and conference venues were safe.

Police boats would also be going along to Gulf Harbour.

"We will have sufficient staff to respond to any incidents. A response group will be available if necessary.

"In all essence, it will be a smaller version of the leaders' meeting in September.

"It will certainly give us the chance to check out our systems and look at what is still needed to be done before September."

Protest action was expected for next week's trade meeting, and the police were preparing for it, said Robyn Orchard.

"Any protest activity, we will deal with that. We are more than happy to accommodate lawful protest. However, if protesters start acting in an unlawful way, then police will deal with that."