Trade, foreign ministers and representatives from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies wrapped up their two-day gathering in Hanoi today, agreeing to continue the support for WTO negotiations and facilitate trade in the region.

"The ministerial meeting has concluded successfully," Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem told a press conference after the meeting.

Khiem said the delegates spent a lot of time discussing the need to resume the stalled Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, and endorsed the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan roadmap for realization of the 1994 Bogor goals of free and open trade and investment in the region.

The meeting also devoted a lot of time to discussing the reform of APEC to make it more dynamic and efficient, he said.

Documents endorsed by the ministers and representatives will be submitted to the APEC economic leaders for approval during their meeting on Nov. 18-19.

Sharing the view that the support for the WTO negotiations continues to be APEC's top priority, the delegates after discussions agreed on the draft of a stand-alone statement on the Doha round, which they will propose to the economic leaders to issue.

Anti-corruption and human security, including anti-terrorism and health security, were also discussed during the meeting, according to a joint statement issued afterward.

Founded in 1989, APEC is a major regional forum acting as the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic and technical cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

It represents the most economically dynamic region in the world, with its 21 member economies accounting for more than one third of the world's population, approximately 60 percent of world GDP, about 47 percent of world trade.