14-7-2023 (JAKARTA) Foreign ministers meet in Indonesia over rivalries, Ukraine war and North Korean missiles
Foreign ministers from two dozen countries met in Indonesia on Friday with U.S.-China rivalry, the Ukraine war and North Korean missile tests set to dominate discussions at Southeast Asia’s annual security forum.
Top diplomats from China, the U.S and Russia joined Indonesia’s Asean Regional Forum (ARF), where broad agendas are often sidelined by geopolitical flare-ups, spurring heated exchanges and occasional walkouts.
In opening remarks, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, ARF chair, said the forum should “move to the next stage of preventive diplomacy”. She warned “sharpening rivalry continues to divide the region” and the challenge is “becoming more complex”, requiring efforts “to better manage potential conflict”.
U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Asean ministers and later called for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan Strait and Ukraine. He criticised North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch this week, which threatened the region and global non-proliferation regime.
On Thursday, Blinken held “candid and constructive” talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi aimed at managing differences. Wang told Blinken a “rational and pragmatic attitude” was key to getting ties on the right track.
U.S.-China sparring marred last year’s ARF after U.S House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit enraged Beijing, which launched drills around Taiwan and cut U.S.dialogue channels.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, also present, confirmed he had no plan to contact U.S officials in Jakarta. Wang met Lavrov, who said the Ukraine war would not end until the West “gives up its domination plans”.
Western nations are expected to condemn Myanmar’s junta over alleged atrocities against civilians as the military cracks down on opponents.
Myanmar has been barred from Asean meetings for failing to honour its peace deal to end hostilities and start dialogue, testing ASEAN unity.
After a 30-hour delay, ASEAN late on Thursday “strongly condemned continued violence” in Myanmar in a communique, indicating internal discord.
