Kuala Lumpur, July 11 The 15th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) was held on Friday in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, reviewing the ongoing EAS cooperation and discussing its future direction.
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments.
“The EAS participating countries reaffirmed their commitment towards further strengthening the EAS as the Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on strategic, political, and economic issues of mutual interest and concern in the region, particularly in view of the 20th anniversary of the EAS this year,” ASEAN posted on its official X handle.
“The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers or their representatives from EAS participating countries and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn. Timor-Leste attended as an Observer,” the post added.
The EAS is the premier leaders-led forum in the Asia-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia. It comprises 18 participating countries.
Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the EAS includes India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.
Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday night at the invitation of the current ASEAN Chair, Malaysia, to participate in the ASEAN-India FMM, the 15th East Asia Summit FMM and the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum scheduled from July 10–11, as part of the 58th ASEAN FMM and related events.
Last month, addressing the East Asia Summit Senior Officials' Meeting (EAS SOM) in Malaysia's Penang, P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, underlined the important role of EAS towards promoting a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
Kumaran, who led the Indian delegation at the summit, shared New Delhi's position on regional and international issues as the premier leaders-led mechanism marks its 20th anniversary this year.
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