(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-31 10:04

CANBERRA -- Mounted police have withdrawn from the security arrangements for next week's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in Sydney, Australia's largest city, due to an outbreak of equine influenza.

But the government in the state of New South Wales (NSW), of which Sydney is the capital city, is insisting security at the summit will not be compromised by the absence of mounted police, Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported Tuesday.

Around 36 mounted police were expected to be a key part of crowd control measures at the APEC meeting, but those plans have been abandoned after an outbreak of equine influenza where the horses are stabled.

The equine flu outbreak forced a national three-day racing lock down last Thursday and a national ban on horse movements until Friday.

NSW is the worst affected state and has banned racing indefinitely.

Meanwhile, NSW Deputy Premier John Watkins said protestors at the summit who don't obey the law can still expect to be arrested.

"The police will take action and they have the resources and the numbers to do that."

He said there is a water canon available if protests become violent.