Cambodia postpones special US-ASEAN summit

MANILA, Philippines — Cambodia yesterday announced the postponement of a special summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States scheduled this month in Washington.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said the Special US-ASEAN Summit was postponed as some ASEAN leaders are not available on its schedule on March 28-29.

However, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to confirm the postponement.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said earlier this week he had requested that the US-ASEAN leaders meet be postponed as the dates have not been fully agreed on among member states.

Cambodia, ASEAN’s current chair, did not propose a new date for the summit.

Hun Sen said the US had announced that the summit was scheduled for March 28 to 29, but Indonesia, acting as mediator, had not coordinated the schedule with other ASEAN members.

He said four ASEAN leaders are visiting the Middle East.

Asked if President Duterte would join the US-ASEAN summit, presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said during a virtual press briefing on Tuesday that the DFA would make the announcement.

The summit is part of US efforts to step up engagement with a region Washington sees as critical to its efforts to push back against China’s growing power.