US Secretary Antony Blinken to participate in 5 ASEAN ministerial meetings

Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will take part in five online ministerial meetings within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to discuss regional and international issues.

"Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will participate in five virtual ministerial meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from August 2-6 EDT. These will be the U.S.-ASEAN, East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Mekong-U.S. Partnership, and Friends of the Mekong ministerial meetings," the US Department of State said in a statement.

The department added that Blinken would discuss pressing regional and international with leaders from across the Indo-Pacific region during those meetings.

"The Secretary will also raise the importance of taking bold action to address the climate crisis. He will reiterate that the United States stands with the international community in defense of freedom of the seas and international law, including UNCLOS," the department stated.

Blinken is also expected to touch upon the situation in Myanmar and urge ASEAN to try to convince the country`s military to put an end to the violence, as well as release all people who were unjustly arrested and "restore Burma`s path to democracy."

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