ASEAN Defense Ministers Meet Ahead of Summit

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and 21 heads of state and government will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in November, according to the head of the summit organizing committee.

RELATED: 
China, ASEAN Approve Draft South China Sea Code of Conduct

In a press briefing, Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr disclosed that U.S. President Donald Trump as well as a guest who representatives Timor Leste are expected to be at the summit.

Paynor Jr said there have been requests from several countries for bilateral discussions with ASEAN chair and Filipino, President Rodrigo Duterte. But, the ambassador – without divulging details – said: "there will be one bilateral visit" of one leader after the summit. The United States and China are dialogue partners to ASEAN.

He added that the main summit will be held in Manila, while preparatory meetings will be held in Clark Freeport in Pampanga.

The Philippines will move to table several initiatives during the two-day meeting, including "a three-year work program that will focus on streamlining and synergizing."

In the lead up to the summit, Duterte reported requested that ASEAN 2017 organizers ensure the air traffic at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport remains uninterrupted.

On Monday, ASEAN defense ministers meeting (ADMM) concluded in a pact being made to step up counter-terrorism measures to prevent pro-Islamic State (IS) militant groups from gaining a stronghold in Southeast Asia.

After the meeting adjourned, ministers reiterate the need to inform the various ASEAN nation populations of the "threat of radicalism," emphasizing the need "to enhance regional cooperation through intelligence and information sharing, increasing surveillance, and promoting awareness among the public about the threat of radicalism."

The group of security personnel expressed "full support for the Philippines' efforts to address the security and humanitarian situation" in Marawi.

ADMM aims to promote mutual trust and confidence through greater understanding of defense and security challenges, as well as enhancement of transparency and openness among the ten ASEAN member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Also, there is the ADMM-Plus, which involves dialogue between ASEAN defense ministers and partners from Asia and the Pacific.

RELATED: 
Xi Threatens War if Philippines Drills South China Sea: Duterte​​​​​​​

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said, in a press conference on Monday, that government forces had completely cleared the areas previously occupied by militants.

"In crushing thus far the most serious attempt to export violent extremism and radicalism in the Philippines and in the region, we have contributed to preventing its spread in Asia and give our share to maintaining global peace, stability, and security," Lorenzana told reporters.

Additionally, the ministers expressed "grave concern over the escalation of tensions in the Korean Peninsula, strongly urged the DPRK to immediately comply with its obligations arising from all the relevant UN Security Council resolutions."

The also stressed the importance of peace, security, stability, and freedom of navigation in and around the South China Sea.