LANGKAWI: Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan will be in Langkawi, Malaysia, from Jan 18 to 19, to attend the Asean foreign ministers’ retreat.
This is the first high-level Asean meeting hosted by Malaysia as the grouping’s chair for 2025, under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.
During the retreat hosted by Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, fellow foreign ministers and representatives will discuss Asean’s priorities for 2025. These include taking stock of cooperation with external partners and exchanging views on regional and international issues.
“Singapore will work with Asean chair Malaysia and our other Asean colleagues to help deliver on Malaysia’s substantive agenda this year,” Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Dr Balakrishnan will be accompanied by ministry officials.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release that topics of discussion at the meeting will include the crisis in Myanmar, geopolitical tensions, and other challenges affecting regional peace and stability.
Leaders and representatives from the 10 Asean member states, along with prospective member Timor-Leste and Asean Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, will be attending the retreat.
However, Myanmar’s ruling junta is still banned from formal Asean meetings, and only “non-political representatives” – a term generally understood to exclude the country’s top leader and its Cabinet members – from the country are allowed to attend.
At the 44th and 45th Asean Summits and related meetings in October 2024, Myanmar was represented by Aung Kyaw Moe, permanent secretary of the junta-controlled Foreign Ministry. - The Straits Times/ANN
