Tillerson reaffirms US' continued ties with South-East Asia

At a lunch that he hosted for visiting foreign ministers of the ten- member grouping, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson underscored his nation's commitment to Asean, but also sought its help to cut funding streams for North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

Tillerson took a tour of USA priorities around the world, including in East Asia, Russia, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere, omitting Europe.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the United States can't always condition its foreign relationships and national security efforts on countries adopting USA values like human rights.

Tillerson did not provide employees any details about the 2,300 jobs he plans to eliminate or how his proposed cut of roughly a quarter of the State Department budget might affect operations.

Tillerson's first meeting with all members of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations will also address another pressing regional issue - China's assertive pursuit of territory in the South China Sea, where several ASEAN members have competing claims.

The top diplomat said Washington's pressure campaign is at about the "20 to 25 percent stage", warning Pyongyang against further punitive steps should it carry out another major provocation. He said China has an "important role" to play, and ASEAN has not yet discussed reducing the North Korean diplomatic presence in their countries.

Murphy stressed ties with Pyongyang are a sovereign matter for ASEAN states, but confirmed that Tillerson had urged them to review their positions.

Washington said there was a shared concern among the Southeast Asian bloc that North Korea's provocation has threatened the stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region and around the globe.

Referring to the USA call to minimize relations with Pyongyang, Philippine acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said: "We haven't really discussed that among the ASEAN countries, so that's probably something we will look at".

Washington wants ASEAN countries to crack down on money laundering and smuggling involving North Korea and to look at restricting legal business too.

For instance, he said, the Trump administration is putting more pressure on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation members to spend more on defense and trying to cut better deals with US trading partners.

President Trump's phone conversations with the leaders of the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore on North Korea were also ways of shoring up support against the looming North Korean threat.

Diplomats say USA pressure has caused some irritation in ASEAN, including Malaysia, which has maintained relations with Pyongyang in spite of the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's estranged half brother at Kuala Lumpur International airport in February.

At the conclusion of the meeting, however, Duterte said the ASEAN hopes to finish drafting a binding code of conduct before yearend.

However, the Trump administration confronts a reality in which long-standing USA allies like the Philippines and Thailand have moved closer to China, complicating hopes for unity on issues like control over the potentially resource-rich South China Sea. China meanwhile claims ownership of nearly the entire South China Sea.