ASEAN fails to issue joint statement

Foreign ministers at a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have failed to issue a joint statement for the first time, due to differences over territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

The ASEAN ministerial meeting was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Monday.
On Friday, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters they have given up adopting a joint statement.During the negotiations, the Philippines called for the statement to include a reference to the recent standoff between Philippine and Chinese vessels over shoals in the South China Sea. The standoff has lasted for more than two months.

Cambodia opposed such a reference. The country chaired the meeting and maintains close economic ties with China.Hor Namhong said he cannot accept any country using the joint statement to handle bilateral territorial disputes with China.