U.S. says ASEAN understands Rice no-show.

"If you combine those two things together, it sends a really bad message," said Ralph Cossa, president of he Pacific Forum/CSIS, a Hawaii think tank that monitors U.S.-Asia ties. "Is it fatal? No," he said. "Certainly, people understand, but at a time when people are looking for reassurance, this is not very reassuring."

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