Malcolm Turnbull has left the way open not to formally meet with the Philippines president in the wake of insulting Barack Obama.
The US President cancelled what would have been his first meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, after Duterte described Obama as a "son of a bitch".
"The remarks were intemperate and I know President Obama responded with careful restraint and dignity, " Mr Turnbull said.
""My meeting schedule at the East Asia Summit has yet to be finalised but all of us recognise the Philippines is a very important part of the whole East Asian security dialogue and a very important player in the region.
"We'll see how things develop when we get to Vientiane. "
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