Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Source: Time) Hanoi (VNA) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Australia Summit in Sydney this month, his spokesman Harry Roque said on March 5.
Speaking to the press, Harry Roque said developments at home continue to require the President's presence in the Philippines. Duterte will attend a meeting of the Philippine Military Academy on March 18, considering it an opportunity to have a dialogue with young military officials.
Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will represent Duterte to the summit to ensure that the Philippines continues to be engaged with ASEAN and Australia to advance shared interest in the same region, according to Roque.
The ASEAN-Australia Summit and the commemoration of the 14th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia ties is scheduled from March 16-18.
Australia is a dialogue partner of ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
Speaking to the press, Harry Roque said developments at home continue to require the President's presence in the Philippines. Duterte will attend a meeting of the Philippine Military Academy on March 18, considering it an opportunity to have a dialogue with young military officials.
Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will represent Duterte to the summit to ensure that the Philippines continues to be engaged with ASEAN and Australia to advance shared interest in the same region, according to Roque.
The ASEAN-Australia Summit and the commemoration of the 14th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia ties is scheduled from March 16-18.
Australia is a dialogue partner of ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
VNA
