Asean foreign ministers to meet with Tillerson

MANILA, Philippines -  Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo was set to join his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington yesterday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said aside from the Special ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers Meeting, Manalo was also scheduled to meet with various stakeholders to discuss strengthening Philippines-US relations.

“As the chair of ASEAN in its 50th year, the Philippines presents ASEAN as a model of regionalism and a global player that values open and constructive engagement with a multitude of partners, including the US,” the DFA said in a statement.

The special meeting was preceded by the 30th ASEAN-US Dialogue at the level of senior officials last May 3.

Apart from the meeting with Tillerson, the ASEAN foreign ministers were also set to meet with the US secretary of defense, the national security advisor and attend a high-level roundtable forum organized by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

According to the DFA, this year marks an important milestone in ASEAN-US relations as both ASEAN and the US will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations.

The special meeting provides the opportunity for the ASEAN foreign ministers and the US Secretary of State to reflect on their longstanding relations under the strategic partnership, the DFA said.

It was also a chance to review their relations as well as exchange views and discuss the US foreign policy towards ASEAN and the region, and exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern, the DFA added.

ASEAN said this was an important meeting as this was the first between the foreign ministers and Tillerson since he assumed office last Feb. 1.