Friday, January 05, 2007
Australia's trade minister to attend Asian summit (4:10 p.m.)
SYDNEY, Australia -- Australia's foreign minister will not attend next week's regional summit meeting in the Philippines but the trade minister will take his place, an official said Friday.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had been slated to attend the annual conference hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations originally scheduled for Dec. 11-13 in the central city of Cebu, but the Philippine government, citing an approaching typhoon, rescheduled the event for Jan. 10-15.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard was expected to attend.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, speaking on a condition of anonymity citing agency policy, said Downer would not attend the rescheduled meeting, but that Trade Minister Warren Truss would attend instead.
The spokesman did not say why Downer was not attending, and calls to the minister's office were not immediately returned Friday. (AP) |
