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Despite U.S. President Joe Biden's urging that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations take a firmer stance on the Ukraine war, the U.S.-ASEAN Summit ended Friday without a condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a sign of geopolitical complexities in the region as the administration seeks to broaden the coalition against Moscow beyond Europe. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptUS ASEAN Friday TV
HEADLINE: Despite US Nudging, No Condemnation of Russia in US-ASEAN Summit
TEASER: U.S. announces will provide the region with $150 million, which includes $60 million for maritime security
PUBLISHED AT: Saturday, 05/14/2022 at 00:10 EDT
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: White House
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, Reifenrath, DJ (OK)
VIDEO SOURCES: AFP, AP, Skype, Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat via YouTube
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:18
VID APPROVED BY: pcd
TYPE: TV
EDITOR NOTES: Radio track included))
((INTRO: ))
[[Despite U.S. President Joe Biden's urging that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations take a firmer stance on the Ukraine war, the U.S.-ASEAN Summit ended Friday without a condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a sign of geopolitical complexities in the region as the administration seeks to broaden the coalition against Moscow beyond Europe. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.]]
((Biden entrance, various summit, AP 4379667))
((NARRATOR))
U.S. President Joe Biden and Southeast Asian leaders concluded the two-day U.S.-ASEAN special summit in Washington on Friday.
((AP 4379667))
((President Joe Biden))
"An Indo-Pacific that is free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure is what we're all seeking."
((Various Russian fighting, AFP V000_329W3E8))
((Natsound weapons))
((NARRATOR))
Biden did not mention Ukraine in his remarks, and the summit ended without a condemnation of Russia.
((Various Putin AP 4379632))
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has avoided criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many in the group seek neutrality, including Indonesia,
((Widodo and Biden, https://app.frame.io/player/f7cd1736-8cc8-45f4-94d7-7a94a1aa0f90 TC 0:55))
((Courtesy: Youtube/Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat))
which has resisted pressure to exclude Putin from the November G-20 summit in Bali despite Biden’s and other Western leaders' threats of a boycott.
[[Radio track: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi]]
((AP 4379622))
((Retno Marsudi, Indonesian Foreign Minister))
"Our hope is to see the war in Ukraine stop as soon as possible and we give the peaceful resolution of the conflict a chance to succeed."
((Family photo, AP 4379504))
((NARRATOR))
It's a sign of the geopolitical complexities in the region as the administration seeks to broaden the coalition against Moscow beyond Europe.
[[Radio track: Stacie Goddard, Mildred Lane Kemper professor of political science at Wellesley College, via Skype]]
((https://app.frame.io/player/57dea947-ca86-4fa0-a2db-78b8b62d9074 ))
((Stacie Goddard, Political Science Professor)) ((Skype))
"The Biden administration sees ASEAN countries as a vital partner in competition with China, so it's not willing to sour relations over a statement about Russian aggression."
((Floating solar panels in Singapore, AFP V000_9438Q8, Vaccinations in Indonesia, AFP V000_9YR4PV))
((NARRATOR))
The U.S. announced a total of $150 million in initiatives for the region in climate and health infrastructure projects, including $60 million for maritime security
((Islands in the South China Sea, Chinese military vessels, AFP V000_1V53UH))
– a concern for many regional states wary of Beijing's increasing militarization in the South China Sea.
[[Radio track: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris]]
((AP 4379638))
((Kamala Harris, US Vice President))
"We stand with our allies and partners in defending the maritime rules-based order, which includes freedom of navigation and international law."
((Various Harris at summit, AP 4379638))
((NARRATOR))
While many question the low dollar figure amid the tens of billions of dollars being poured into Ukraine, the summit signaled a U.S. focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
[[Radio track: Said Gregory Poling, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, via Skype]]
((https://app.frame.io/player/db552f2c-a908-412c-8708-d58d1ed1c242 TC 0:12))
((Gregory Poling, Center for Strategic and International Studies)) ((Skype))
"Diplomacy is about showing up, and most everybody showed up. Despite the focus on Ukraine, President Biden and most of U.S. government took out two days to stand on ASEAN. So in that sense, it was a success."
((Min Aung Hlaing saluting soldiers, AFP V000_326Z3U7 tc 1:50, various of military parade))
((NARRATOR))
U.S. and ASEAN leaders also expressed concern over the crisis in Myanmar
((North Korean military presents Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile, AFP V000_328Z6JB))
and commitment to denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula.
((Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, at the White House))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)the White House
Embargo DateMay 15, 2022 12:51 EDT
Byline((Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, at the White House))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English, VOA Afrique