Government / Politics

U.S. Secretary of State Brinken said at a press conference after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related meeting on the 14th that Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov was “neither constructive nor productive” on any issue, saying that he had not done so in Ukraine. He said he did not hear any remarks suggesting a change in the direction of the war. Photo taken in Indonesia in 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana

[ジャカルタ １４日 ロイター] – U.S. Secretary of State Brinken said at a press conference after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related meeting on the 14th that Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov was “neither constructive nor productive” on any issue, and that the U.S. He said he did not hear any remarks suggesting a change in the direction of the war.

He also said Lavrov was “totally negative” and focused on criticizing the United States. During the relevant meetings, President Brinken did not hold a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov.

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Borrell, also said Lavrov had vehemently rejected calls to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine.

Russia’s foreign ministry said Lavrov met with Politburo member Wang Yi, the country’s top diplomat, on Thursday to discuss the situation in Ukraine. At the meeting, China’s foreign ministry said it would “strengthen strategic communication and coordination.”

At ASEAN-related meetings, North Korea’s missile launches, the U.S.-China confrontation, and the situation in Myanmar were among the major topics on the agenda. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) had agreed to “strengthen preventive diplomacy.”

Brinken called for stability in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, but stressed North Korea’s “provocative” missile launches as the greatest challenge to regional security. “We need to work together to end North Korea’s illegal weapons of mass destruction program and ballistic missile launches,” he said.

The U.S. State Department said Brinken met with Chinese Politburo member Wang Yi on Wednesday and had “candid and constructive” discussions over both differences and areas of potential cooperation.

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2023-07-14 15:21:00