EXCLUSIVE - APEC to keep stimulus policies, push for Doha

By Nopporn Wong-Anan

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - APEC countries, including the United States, Japan and China, will keep up stimulus policies and push for a global trade deal next year as they seek to spur a lasting economic recovery, according to draft statements from the group seen by Reuters on Monday.

"We will maintain our economic stimulus policies until a durable economic recovery is secured," said a draft statement by the 21-member group's leaders, dated Oct. 31 and expected to be delivered after an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore on Nov. 15.

World stocks slid on Monday to hug one-month lows, as investors fretted about the pace of an economic recovery and prepared for the eventual withdrawal of stimulative monetary policy.

Finance ministers from the APEC group said in a separate statement that there was no need to rush fiscal tightening, especially as credit markets were still recovering.

"Careful planning and timing withdrawal of extraordinary stimulus measures will help to avoid a double-dip recession," said the finance ministers in the draft seen by Reuters.

Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 will next gather on Friday to discuss progress in restoring global growth after the worst financial crisis in decades.

Analysts said APEC's draft statements were consistent with comments by policymakers in recent months and reflected the sentiment of investors.

"They are very afraid -- they don't want to withdraw stimulus plans prematurely," said economist David Cohen of consultancy Action Economics in Singapore.