Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary W. Patrick Murphy co-chaired the 32^nd U.S.-ASEAN Dialogue in Washington, D.C., on March 28, together with Deputy Foreign Minister Thongphane Savanphet of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The dialogue highlighted the broad range of U.S.-ASEAN cooperation across political, economic, and social pillars and highlighted the importance of the U.S.-ASEAN Strategic Partnership in securing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The United States reaffirmed its commitment to work with ASEAN in securing a region based on clear and transparent rules and to strengthen the ASEAN-centered regional architecture. Participants welcomed the recent U.S.-DPRK summit in Hanoi, supported continued U.S. openness to diplomatic engagement to achieve the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK, and recognized the importance of sustained, full implementation and enforcement of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Participants underscored the importance of maritime security for ensuring regional stability as well as maritime cooperation in combatting marine plastic pollution and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Participants reaffirmed the need for peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law, including in the South China Sea. The United States expressed support for a meaningful and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that upholds the rights of third parties and is fully consistent with international law, including as reflected in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Participants welcomed the continued growth of economic ties between the United States and ASEAN, evidenced by the $328 billion total stock of U.S. private sector investment in the ASEAN region. They welcomed economic initiatives such as the U.S.-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership and U.S.-ASEAN Connect, as well as U.S. programs under the Indo-Pacific Strategy on infrastructure, energy security, and digital commerce and cybersecurity. They agreed on the importance of sustainable, transparent growth that promoted ASEAN resilience against unsustainable debt. Participants recognized the importance of continued cooperation on a wide range of cyber- and digital economy-related issues.

Participants welcomed the great success of programs aimed at enhancing people-to people ties between ASEAN and the United States, particularly the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, the Fulbright and U.S-ASEAN Internship programs, and the U.S.-ASEAN Women’s Leadership Academy.

Participants looked forward to further strengthening the U.S.-ASEAN relationship at the U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial meeting in August and the U.S.-ASEAN Summit in November in Bangkok.

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The U.S. Department of State submitted the 2019 edition of the annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) to Congress today. This two-volume, Congressionally-mandated report assesses foreign governments’ efforts to reduce illicit drug production, trafficking and use, as well as their work to counter drug trafficking-related money laundering. The INCSR was first published in 1986, and this edition covers calendar year 2018.

This year’s INCSR stresses that the synthetic opioid-fueled drug crisis still gripping the United States represents a global problem that requires urgent international action. The report highlights not only increases in trafficking and abuse of fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids across the globe, but also continued growth in overseas production of cocaine and methamphetamine and rampant heroin production in Afghanistan. Reducing such drug threats will require additional commitments from partner governments, sometimes supported by U.S. assistance, to target all the links in the narcotics supplier-to-consumer chain: the cultivation and production of drugs; the interdiction of drug shipments; attention to the money trail; and reduction in drug demand.

Volume I of the INCSR, the Drugs and Chemical Control section, provides an overview of 2018 drug control efforts undertaken by nearly 70 countries. Volume II, Money Laundering, highlights the nature of drug trafficking-related money laundering – and specific vulnerabilities – in 80 countries and jurisdictions, as well as these governments’ efforts to strengthen their anti-money laundering regimes.

The full text of INCSR Volumes I and II can be viewed at https://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2019/index.htm

For further information, please contact INL-PAPD@state.gov.

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Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale will travel to New York, NY to lead the U.S. delegation at the United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial on March 29. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Kevin E. Moley and Acting U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Jonathan Cohen will join Under Secretary Hale on the delegation.

The UN Peacekeeping Ministerial will serve as a forum for Member States to commit to strengthen uniformed capabilities, performance, and the protection of civilians in UN Peacekeeping. Under Secretary Hale will urge the UN and troop contributing countries to focus on strengthening peacekeeper performance. He will also announce a new pledge to support UN peacekeeping through developing unmanned aerial systems capabilities for missions in the field – part of the United States commitment to continued leadership in support of peacekeeping.

Under Secretary Hale will also represent the United States in a meeting of the UN Security Council on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

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Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met today with Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman in Washington. The Secretary congratulated the minister on his new role and looked forward to continuing to work together to advance the U.S.-Saudi partnership. The Secretary expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s continued support for UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths’ efforts to advance the political process in Yemen. The Secretary and the minister agreed on the need for parties to adhere to the agreements made in Sweden. The Secretary and the minister also discussed a broad range of bilateral and regional issues, including countering the Iranian regime’s destabilizing activities in the region.

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Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Iraqi Speaker of the Council of Representatives Mohammed al-Halbusi. The Secretary reiterated the United States’ support for a strong, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq, as outlined in our bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement, as well as ongoing U.S. efforts to assist in meeting Iraq’s critical development needs. The Secretary underlined his support for an Iraq open to the region and the world. The Secretary also emphasized our continued commitment to working with the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.

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