Kerry apologizes after Obama misses inaugural US-ASEAN summit

“The partnership that we share with ASEAN remains a top priority for the Obama administration, and the ties among our nations — I think all of you know this from the engagement that we have on individual basis with you, as well as collectively through ASEAN — that those ties have been strong for decades now. And we know that strengthening those ties on security issues, on economic issues, and more on our people-to-people relationships, are a critical part of President Obama’s rebalance to Asia.” 

{mosads}Kerry’s visit to the Brunei is the second stop where he’s having to stand in for the president. Obama has already missed a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Indonesia and will also sit out meetings in Malaysia and the Philippines.

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