Turnbull, Cayetano hold bilateral talks

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will held a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop on Saturday.
(Photo courtesy of DFA-Office of Public Diplomacy via PNA)

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will held a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop on Saturday.

The meeting wias during the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Australia Special Summit in Sydney on March 17-18.

The foreign affairs department said no detail has been issued yet on the topics discussed, but before leaving for Sydney, Cayetano said he will reaffirm the country’s commitment on the government’s war against terror and is poised to share the country’s development agenda before Australia and the bloc’s member states.

Cayetano will serve as the “special representative” of President Rodrigo Duterte at the leaders’ dialogue.

Reg’l security, prosperity
This year’s ASEAN-Australia Special Summit will tackle ways to bolster partnership in education, economic cooperation, and countering terrorism and other security challenges between the two parties.

Turnbull said the summit marks the “coming of age” of Australia’s relationship with Southeast Asia. He reaffirmed Canberra’s commitment to various partnerships with the ASEAN bloc.

During the summit, the two parties will discuss the threat posed by North Korea and the importance of maintaining pressure through economic sanctions.

The summit will have two major lead-in events: a business summit and a counter-terrorism conference.

Based on the ASEAN bulletin, the summit’s lead-in events include a business summit, while at the conclusion of the counter-terrorism conference on Saturday, the two parties are poised to sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to counter international terrorism.