Widodo to skip APEC meeting, Putin's absence unconfirmed

MANILA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo will skip the leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Manila next week, a senior official from the Philippine government said Thursday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario said Indonesian Trade Minister Thomas Lebong will instead represent Widodo at the APEC meeting on Nov 18 and 19.

She said Widodo decided to skip the APEC meeting after attending the G20 meeting in Turkey because he has "to address some domestic concerns" before proceeding to the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

Del Rosario downplayed any possible effect of Widodo's absence in the upcoming event.

The Indonesian delegation will make sure that their national positions will be reflected in all the outcome documents from the meeting, she said.

According to Philippine News network GMA, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III will speak on the phone following Russia's announcement that its leader was going to miss the top-level meeting in Manila.

However, Herminio Coloma Jr., secretary of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, denied the news, saying there was no official communications on Putin's absence.

Coloma said foreign affairs department spokesperson Charles Jose said Albet del Rosario was not interviewed at all.