ASEAN Summit 2019
The Palace announces the completion by the Philippines and Indonesia of their "respective domestic requirements which would lead into a landmark agreement concerning the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone boundary between the two countries."
"Both leaders see this development as a clear demonstration of the strong and tight bond between the Philippines and Indonesia, which incidentally are celebrating their 70th anniversary of formal diplomatic and bilateral relations," presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo says after a meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
"The Palace views this legal instrument as a good precedent on how to address maritime concerns and settle disputes in accordance with the [UN Convention for the Law of the Sea] bearing in mind the archipelagic nature of the Philippines, which inherently shares common borders with many ASEAN member-states," he adds.
President Duterte is attending the ASEAN Leaders Retreat in Bangkok, Thailand.
LOOK: President Duterte attends ASEAN Leaders Retreat in Bangkok | @xtinamen pic.twitter.com/QTkLwlG031
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) June 23, 2019
He had previously complained about the hectic schedules at international summits and conferences, saying organizers must think the world leaders are boy scouts to be up so early in the day.
He has missed summit activities and meetings in the past because, the Palace said, he had to take "power naps to catch on sleep."
Leaders are planning to push through a deal to fight maritime debris at a regional meeting this weekend.
Just five Asian countries -- China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand -- dump more than half of the eight million tonnes of plastic waste that end up in oceans every year, according to a 2017 Ocean Conservancy report.
The region has come under fire for not doing enough to tackle its mounting trash troubles, with single-use plastic and sub-par waste management adding to the problem.
Leaders at a weekend meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expected to sign a "Bangkok Declaration" on fighting maritime waste -- a first of its kind -- which promises to "prevent and significantly reduce marine debris", according to a draft. — AFP
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