State Counsellor attends ASEAN summit in Manila

November 13, 2017

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the 31st The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit began in Manila on Monday, with the attendance of heads of the states of the member countries and the partner nations.

Today’s meetings following the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit, are ASEAN Plenary Session, ASEAN Business Advisory Council, ASEAN-US 40th Anniversary Commemorative Summit, 5thASEAN-US Summit, 20th ASEAN-China Summit, 19th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit and 20th ASEAN-Japan Summit. At the opening ceremony in Manila, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, said that the two days of meetings presented an excellent opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion on matters of regional and international importance.

“Terrorism and violent extremism endanger the peace, stability and security of our region because these threats know no boundaries,” Duterte said , who last month declared victory over Islamic State-inspired militants in the southern Philippine city of Marawi.

He identified terrorism and violent extremism as threats that “know no boundaries” and piracy and armed robbery in the region’s seas as damaging to economic growth.

At the start of the ASEAN-only meeting, Duterte said issues he expects participants to discuss include threats posed by “non-traditional security issues” to the peace and stability and prosperity of the region.

Following the ASEAN Plenary Session, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi held talks with Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Philippines International Convention Centre-PICC over bilateral cooperation.

Afterwards, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the ASEAN Business Advisory Council meeting.

Following the ASEAN BAC meeting, she participated in the ASEAN-US 40th Anniversary Commemorative Summit, 5th ASEAN-US Summit, 20th ASEAN-China Summit, 19th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit and 20th ASEAN-Japan Summit.

The ASEAN Summit is the most important event of the bloc this year with the participation of leaders from 10 member countries and ASEAN partners.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

GNLM

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar