Australia's top diplomat to discuss Marawi conflict with Cayetano

MANILA, Philippines — The peace process, the ongoing conflict in Marawi City and counter-terrorism efforts would be at the center of discussions between Australia and Philippines' top diplomats.

On her second visit to the Philippines this year, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will meet with Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and other senior government officials.

"These meetings will strengthen Australia’s relationships with our South East Asian neighbors and advance our economic and security interests in the region," Bishop said in a video posted on her Twitter account.

Bishop will attend the East Asia Summit, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum and ASEAN-Australia Ministerial Meeting in Manila this week.

Regional challenges such as the South China Sea dispute, Korean Peninsula tension and terrorism would be the focus of discussions in the meetings.

Australia, which has important interests in the South China Sea, has urged for a rules-based order in the waters. It has been conducting surveillance operations over the contested waterway since 1980.

The Australian Foreign Minister will also visit Thailand this week to celebrate the 65th year of diplomatic relations between Australia and Thailand. She will also meet with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in Bangkok.

Bishop met with President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City during her last visit in the country last March. The president expressed his commitment to have stronger ties with Australia, particularly in fighting terrorism amid the reemergence of terrorist networks in Mindanao.

Australia earlier warned that ISIS might declare an Islamic caliphate in Mindanao as the group os being pushed out of the Middle East.

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