WASHINGTON D.C: A tight schedule awaits Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when he arrives here on Tuesday (Wednesday in Malaysia), ahead of a high-level meeting with United States President Joe Biden and Asean leaders.

       Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said Ismail Sabri will join Biden, US vice-president Kamala Harris and other Asean leaders at the two-day Asean-US Special Summit, here, starting Thursday (Friday in Malaysia).

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       All the 10 Asean leaders are scheduled to participate in the special summit except from the Philippines and Myanmar.

       "I was made to understand that Myanmar’s representative was not invited while Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will not be attending due to the ongoing general election in the country,” Saifuddin told the Malaysian media here.

       It was reported that the Myanmar junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hliang was not invited following the Feb 1 coup in that country last year.

       President Biden will host a dinner for the Asean leaders at the White House on Thursday (Friday in Malaysia).

       Biden is scheduled to exchange views on regional and global issues with Asean leaders at the US Department of State on Friday (Saturday in Malaysia).

       Saifuddin said this is the second Asean-US Special Summit hosted by the US President after the then-president Barack Obama welcomed Asean leaders in this country in 2016. - Bernama

       More to come