MoS Margherita meets US Secretary of State in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, July 11 (IANS) Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, on Friday met the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) in Malaysia.

"Delighted to meet US Secretary of State @secrubio on the sidelines of the 15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," the Minister posted on X after the interaction.

Earlier in the day, Margherita met the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn, discussing wide-ranging bilateral relations, including heritage conservation and development partnership.

MoS Margherita expressed gratitude to Cambodia for its support in India's fight against terrorism.

“Delighted to have a meeting with Prak Sokhonn, Dy. PM and Foreign Minister of Cambodia on the sidelines of ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Malaysia. Discussed our multifaceted bilateral relations ranging from heritage conservation to development partnership. Also discussed my recent visit to Cambodia during which I had a number of productive engagements. Thanked Cambodia for its support in India’s fight against terrorism,” Margherita said in a post on X.

On Thursday, Margherita held a meeting with the Secretary General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn, on the margins of the ASEAN-India FMM in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The MoS appreciated Hourn’s personal commitment as the head of the ASEAN Secretariat in facilitating the implementation of decisions of leaders towards strengthening India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Margherita held separate meetings with Bui Thanh Son, Foreign Minister of Vietnam, and Sugiono, Foreign Minister of Indonesia, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India in Kuala Lumpur.

Furthermore, the MoS met the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Theresa P. Lazaro, on the sidelines of ASEAN-India FMM. The leaders acknowledged the long-standing friendship and 75 years of diplomatic relationship between India and the Philippines, and discussed ways to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation. Margherita thanked the Philippines for its solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism.

Earlier on Thursday, Margherita co-chaired the ASEAN-India FMM in Kuala Lumpur, during which the adoption of the new 2026-2030 ASEAN-India Plan of Action (POA) was also announced.

MoS Margherita, as India's country coordinator, co-chaired the meeting with Theresa P. Lazaro, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.

"Adopted a new ASEAN-India Plan of Action for the year 2026-2030 with an aim to further expanding our cooperation and strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership. As we celebrate ASEAN-India Year of Tourism this year, we discussed ways and means for enhancing people-to-people relations further," Margherita said in a post on X.

The MoS arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday night to participate in the ASEAN-India FMM at the invitation of the current ASEAN Chair, Malaysia.

--IANS

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