Australia and the Maldives said that they had not attended the recently concluded Indian Ocean Region Forum, which had been organized by China and was supposed to have had participants from 19 regional nations, except the exception of India. Both nations made it clear that there was no formal participation at the meeting supported by China.
The forum in Kunming managed to bring together “high-level representatives” from 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, and Australia, according to a statement from the organizers. India was not asked to send a representative to the meeting.
Australia’s High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell said that no Australian Government representatives were present at the Kunming China-Indian Ocean Forum, and the Foreign Minister of Maldives said that there was no official representation from Maldives who participated in the meeting.
