MALAYSIA: ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) FOREIGN MINISTERS HOLD MEETINGS

Record ID: 343149

  • Title: MALAYSIA: ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) FOREIGN MINISTERS HOLD MEETINGS
  • Date: 26th July 1997
  • Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (JULY 26, 1997) (RTV) 1. MV UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT ARRIVES/ALBRIGHT WALKING INTO LOBBY 0.10 2. SLV CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN ARRIVES 0.16 3. MV ALBRIGHT AND QIAN ON WALK TO STAGE AND UP TO PODIUMS FOR SPEECH 0.28 4. SCU QIAN QICHEN SAYING "WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO
  • Embargoed: 10th August 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Reuters ID: LVA34V8U1CZY8HZUR1R3TLQQ4JJE
  • Story Text: - INTRO: Political uncertainties in Cambodia have dominated meetings of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

    U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright after meeting with Chinese foreign minister Qian Qichen pledged American support for ASEAN taking the primary role in solving Cambodia's political turmoil.

    United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met Chinese foreign minister Qian Qichen in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (July 26) to discuss issues of cooperation.

    Albright said Cambodia was one of the topics she would discuss with Qian during a meeting which followed a 30-minute news conference.

    They were in Kuala Lumpur to attend the annual ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) security conference on Sunday and hold meetings with the various ASEAN members and other major Asian and Western states.

    China is deeply concerned at recent events in Cambodia and wants the conflicting parties to settle their differences peacefully, Qian said on Saturday.

    "Cambodia already achieved national reconciliation and had established a coalition government, so we do not wish to see the eruption of armed conflict and bloodshed after all that." Cambodia has been on top of the ASEAN agenda through two decades of turmoil. Member states, particularly Indonesia, were influential in bringing about the 1991 Paris peace accords, which were followed by U.N.-organised elections in 1993 that brought Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen to power in a coalition government.

    Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas speaking to reporters after a meeting with Albright said the United States believes if there are efforts to contribute towards a solution for Cambodia, ASEAN should have the primary role in that.

    Thailand's foreign minister Prachuab Chalyasam said Thailand would not allow anything to happen on its soil that would (adversely) affect the Cambodian conflict.

    Cambodia was due to join ASEAN on Wednesday but the group suspended its membership indefinitely in the aftermath of the bloody overthrow of Ranariddh. Burma and Laos joined the group on Wednesday and Cambodia will join eventually, the group says.


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