Mr. Artamanov opened the meeting stating that Filipinos are welcome and well-regarded in Russia. In response, Ambassador Sorreta expressed appreciation for the kind treatment the Russian government and people are showing to Filipino workers.

Noting the increasing people mobility between the Philippines and Russia, the two officials recognized the importance of establishing mechanisms to manage this flow in order to ensure the rights and welfare of both Filipino and Russian nationals.

In this regard, Ambassador Sorreta broached the idea of a possible consular cooperation arrangement that could include information exchange; facilitation of assistance to nationals in distress including victims of human trafficking; facilitation of repatriation; as well as regular consultations between relevant Philippine and Russian authorities.

Mr. Artamonov responded affirming Russia’s interest to actively engage partner countries with a view to strengthening its own migration management system. He reiterated the FMS’ proposal for the two countries to adopt a mutually-beneficial mechanism for readmission of nationals.

The two sides agreed to continue discussions on these matters.

Should these proposals prosper, both the Philippine and Russian governments will be better equipped to serve the consular needs of their respective nationals who travel to each country either for work or tourism. Based on Philippine Embassy records as of June 2015, there are 4,568 Filipinos currently living and working in Russia. Meanwhile, the Philippines is increasingly becoming a favorite destination of Russian tourists. In 2014, the country welcomed about 40,000 Russian tourists and the government further aims to increase this number through intensified tourism promotion in Russia.

Also in the meeting were Third Secretary Luningning G. Camoying of the Philippine Embassy and other FMS officials and experts, including Mr. Ilya Malenko, Mr. Vitaly S. Kalischuk, Ms. Tatyana Martirosyan, Mr. Sergey Kovalchuk, and Mr. Marat Dzagoev. END