ASEAN leaders seek to assert bloc's relevance at annual summit

Kate Lamb - Reuters - 05/09
Southeast Asian leaders will on Tuesday converge on the Indonesian capital for an annual summit amid rifts within the 10-member regional bloc over stalled peace efforts in Myanmar and a sharpening U.S.-China rivalry in the region.

JAKARTA, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian leaders will on Tuesday converge on the Indonesian capital for an annual summit amid rifts within the 10-member regional bloc over stalled peace efforts in Myanmar and a sharpening U.S.-China rivalry in the region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is seeking to clarify its relevance as cracks emerge in its response to the conflict in Myanmar, where the military seized power in a bloody coup in 2021.

"The eyes of our peoples are on us to prove ASEAN still matters and can contribute towards peace, stability and prosperity in the region," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi of chair Indonesia said on Monday.

Leaders will review an ASEAN peace p...
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