War in Ukraine has implications for Asia Pacific: PM Lee

Washington, Mar 30 (PTI): The ongoing war in Ukraine has implications for the Asia Pacific, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore said Tuesday cautioning the international community that there are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in the region as wel.

By : PTI | Updated at : 30 Mar 2022 02:31 AM (IST)

Washington, Mar 30 (PTI): The ongoing war in Ukraine has implications for the Asia Pacific, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore said Tuesday cautioning the international community that there are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in the region as well.

“The war in the Ukraine has implications for the Asia-Pacific,” Lee told reporters during a joint news conference with President Joe Biden of the United States at the White House.

“There are potential flashpoints and contentious issues in our region too, which if not managed well could escalate to open conflict,” he said, soon after holding a bilateral meeting with Biden.

“Countries with interests in the region need to pursue all efforts to settle disagreements through peaceful means so that we can avoid reaching a point of no return. It is important therefore to keep open channels of dialogue between countries, including at the highest level,” Lee said.

This, he said, will help to manage developments in order to avoid conflict and prevent misreading each other's intentions.

"We also need to create inclusive constructs to bridge differences and encourage cooperation and interdependence in the Asia-Pacific. For example, the APEC leaders meeting and the proposed Indo-Pacific economic framework,” Lee said.

The US, he said, has enduring strategic interests in the Asia Pacific and many friends in the region who want the US to stay actively and consistently engaged. “And I'm confident that within this regional context, Singapore's own relationship with the US will continue to grow from strength to strength,” said the prime minister. PTI LKJ RCJ RCJ

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