ARF/ASEAN: Deputy Secretary Negroponte’s Agenda (Taken Question)

Question: What is Deputy Secretary Negroponte's Agenda for the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference Meetings next week?

Answer: On July 31, Deputy Secretary Negroponte will participate in a number of events commemorating our strong bilateral relationship with the Philippines. On August 1, the Deputy Secretary will head the U.S. delegation to the U.S.-ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) and on August 2 to the ARF Ministerial meeting. The PMC will focus on the whole of relations between the U.S. and ASEAN. Deputy Secretary Negroponte will review work that has been occurring under the ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership Plan of Action. The broader plenary meetings of the 27-member ARF will focus on regional security. ARF Ministers are expected to approve various institutional and non-traditional security-related proposals that have been discussed at lower levels throughout this past year. The Deputy Secretary will engage countries on key regional concerns, including the North Korea nuclear issue, the situation in Burma, and transnational security matters such as counterterrorism, maritime security, weapons on mass destruction, and nonproliferation. In addition to the ASEAN meetings, the Deputy Secretary individually will hold various meetings with attending Foreign Ministers.