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The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, introduced on Wednesday that he was slicing brief a diplomatic journey to Southeast Asia and returning to the US out of an “abundance of warning” after a reporter in his entourage tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Blinken was touring within the area to satisfy with officers in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, however determined to finish the journey as a substitute of assembly with officers in Thailand; an announcement from the secretary’s spokesperson indicated that consequently, Mr Blinken had invited the Thai overseas minister to Washington.
“The secretary prolonged an invite for the overseas minister to go to Washington, D.C. on the earliest alternative and famous that he appeared ahead to touring to Thailand as quickly as doable,” Ned Value stated. “They affirmed that they’d use the upcoming engagements to additional deepen the US-Thai alliance.”
The unnamed journalist whose constructive Covid-19 analysis ended Mr Blinken’s southeast Asia swing will stay in isolation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, till their signs subside in line with the State Division.
As a part of his journey, Mr Blinken was set to debate with Thai officers how the US and Thailand can work in direction of “post-pandemic financial restoration, and addressing the local weather disaster”. He beforehand met with officers in Malaysia, Indonesia, and attended the G7 Overseas and Growth Ministers’ Assembly within the UK.
The problem of the continuing political strife in Myanmar, the place the nation’s army has seized energy from a civilian authorities, was additionally on the record of points to be mentioned with officers from all three international locations.
A separate assertion from the company earlier within the morning confirmed that Mr Blinken and his accompanying aides had all examined detrimental.
“We realized this morning, by our routine PCR testing, {that a} member of our touring press pool examined constructive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur. The person had final examined detrimental in Jakarta, our earlier cease. The person who examined constructive will stay in isolation, and we are going to proceed to stick to and transcend CDC steerage, together with with our rigorous testing protocol, for the remaining touring get together,” learn the assertion.
“The Secretary and his senior employees had been additionally examined upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, and all examined detrimental,” it continued.
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