Tuesday October 16 2:29 PM ET

White House Confident in Bush Security for APEC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush was confident in the Secret Service's ability to protect him at an upcoming Asia Pacific summit in Shanghai and can direct the war on terrorism from abroad, the White House said on Tuesday.

With many Americans nervous about a string of anthrax-laced letters and generally on edge after the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush will leave the United States on Wednesday for the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, held this year in China.

Bush was to set off with the United States in the midst of a bombing campaign against Afghanistan, whose ruling Taliban has long sheltered Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born militant who is the chief U.S. suspect in the attacks on Washington and New York.

White House officials have said the trip, which will keep Bush out of the country for about four and a half days, was important both to round up support for the effort against terrorism and to keep the world economy growing.

``The president continues to be concerned about the strength of the United States economy,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters. ``Even during this time of war, it's important to keep an eye domestically on issues that matter.''

``The ability of the United States and our allies to engage in free trade ... and also to help developing economies of the world so they can grow richer and prosper, creating jobs and security for their own people, is in the American interest at all times, in war and in peace,'' he said.

``So the president does see important domestic goals to be achieved through this conference, which will bring together some 21 leaders from across the globe,'' he added.

Fleischer said the president had no worries about his own security while abroad.

``The president has absolute confidence in the ability of Secret Service to protect his safety at all times,'' the spokesman said. ``As for being out of the country ... the communications available to the president is second to none.''

Asked if there were any constraints on Bush giving military orders while out of the country, the spokesman said bluntly: ''Absolutely not. Telephones work.''

The APEC meetings Oct. 20-21 are the highest profile gathering of world leaders since the Sept. 11 attacks and more than 10,000 police and security personnel have been mobilized to protect Bush, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders.

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001