The G20 was already facing difficult negotiations over Russia’s war in Ukraine when a further diplomatic wrinkle emerged on Tuesday morning: The Cambodian prime minister, who hosted Joe Biden and other leaders at the weekend, tested positive for COVID-19.
Details emerged as China’s president Xi Jinping arrived at the summit site on Bali, Indonesia, and just before Biden was due to leave his hotel.
A statement posted on the Facebook page of Hun Sen said he was canceling meetings after the positive test.
It said he tested positive before he had held any meetings including those scheduled with French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese leader Xi.
But days earlier he met regional leaders and Biden when they attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
President Joe Biden met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday
On Monday, Biden cleared his throat and apologized to reporters at a news conference.
‘Excuse me, I have a little cold,’ he said.
It all marked an uncertain start to the summit, where leaders had already decided to skip the traditional ‘family photo’ so that the likes of Biden can avoid having to smile for the camera alongside Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister.
But American officials say the summit will include condemnation of Russia.
‘I won’t get ahead of the final negotiations but the G20 will make clear that Russia’s war is wreaking havoc for people everywhere and for the global economy as a whole,” said the official, who spoke about the U.S. view on the summit on condition of anonymity.
‘They will be clear that most G 20 members condemn Russia’s war and the immense suffering of this cause both for Ukrainians and for families in the developing world that are facing food and fuel insecurity as a result.’
However, he was unable to say what form the condemnation would take, whether it would be a communiquĂ© signed by 11 countries or 19, or whether it would be a statement issued by the president of Indonesia, who holds the group’s chair.
On Monday, Biden met with China’s Xi Jinping – their first meeting since Biden took office
The summit is the final leg of Biden around-the-world foreign policy blast.
He was in Egypt for three hours on Friday to attend the COP27 summit, before flying to Cambodia for less than 48 to attend the A.S.E.A.N. summit.