ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference kicks off in Vientiane, to focus on regional, global issues

From Kenny Teng Khoon Hock

VIENTIANE, July 26 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference kicked off in the Laos capital here on Friday as ASEAN foreign ministers engaged with top diplomats from dialogue partners to discuss various regional and international issues of common interest.

Key dialogue partners scheduled to participate in the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference at the National Convention Centre (NCC) include China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Among the top agenda for discussion are Myanmar's humanitarian crisis and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has a packed schedule in conjunction with the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference, including meetings with China, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, European Union, India, Russia, United Kingdom, Türkiye, Australia and Canada.

Mohamad had said that he has been scheduled to attend a total of 19 meetings, including bilateral and trilateral meetings, and conferences during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings.

"All these meetings are to discuss the various regional and international issues with the interest of ASEAN," he told the Malaysia media in Laos capital.

After the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference, foreign ministers are expected to have separate pull-aside meetings and also bilateral meetings with dedicated countries.

-- BERNAMA