US steadfast partner of Asean — Kerry

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the 46th anniversary of its founding and said the United States looked forward to deepening and broadening its cooperation with ASEAN in the coming years.

ASEAN plays a critical and growing role in Asia through promoting regional integration and maintaining regional security, he said, adding the US stands with it as a steadfast partner.

Daniel Russel, who was sworn in by Kerry as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, gave reassurance about America’s intentions and staying power in the region.

He said to those who wanted to know if they could continue to rely on the US to provide the security, intellectual capital and technology that has underpinned the stability and driven the extraordinary growth of East Asia over the past seven decades, the answer was a resounding “yes.”