MOSCOW – At a working lunched hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on 7 October 2015, Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta, informed FM Lavrov that the Philippines is looking forward to welcoming him and President Vladimir Putin to Manila this November for the APEC Summit.
Ambassador Sorreta also highlighted key aspects of the Philippine hosting of this important event. In response, FM Lavrov stated that they likewise look forward to the visit and meeting of President Putin and President Benigno Aquino III at the sidelines of APEC. The Foreign Minister added that all participants appreciated the preparations being made by the Philippines and offered a toast to the success of APEC Manila 2015.
The working lunch hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was for the ten (10) Ambassadors of ASEAN Member Countries and was held at the Mansion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Moscow.
The working lunch was organized on the initiative of the ASEAN Moscow Committee (AMC) which is composed of the 10 Ambassadors of ASEAN Member Countries based in Moscow. The AMC serves as ASEAN’s outpost in the host country and is mandated to promote the grouping’s interests and identity.
FM Lavrov and the ASEAN Ambassadors also exchanged views on developments in ASEAN-Russia relations, including preparations for the 20th ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit scheduled on 19-20 May 2016 in Sochi, as well as bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
FM Lavrov emphasized that Russia would like to work closely with ASEAN and its individual members in promoting regional security, noting that there are many current and emerging security issues where Russia’s contribution would be useful. He added that Russia and ASEAN should therefore work together in shaping “the architecture of equal and indivisible security and sustainable development in the Asia Pacific Region.”
Indonesian Ambassador and AMC Chair Djauhari Oratmangun delivered a response highlighting the AMC’s recent projects aimed at strengthening cooperation between ASEAN and Russia. He reaffirmed that the AMC will continue to be a reliable conduit between ASEAN governments and the Russian MFA as preparations for next year’s events go in full swing.
He was followed by H.E. Thieng Boupha, Ambassador of Laos (country-coordinator of ASEAN-Russia Dialogue), and Mr. Francisco Munis, Chargé d’Affaires of Malaysia (ASEAN Chair), who both expressed appreciation for Russia’s contribution in ASEAN’s community-building process.
Since the establishment of the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue in 1996, cooperation between the two sides has gradually grown in various fields - politico-security, economic, and socio-cultural.
And to celebrate 20 years of fruitful ASEAN-Russia partnership next year, a number of initiatives are in the pipeline. These include the adoption of a new Plan of Action to Promote Cooperation between ASEAN and the Russian Federation (2016-2020) and declaration of 2016 as ASEAN-Russia Year of Culture.
Other Russian MFA officials present in the working lunch were H.E. Igor V. Morgulov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Alexey M. Ovchinnikov, Director of Asia-Pacific Cooperation Department, H.E. Liudmila G. Vorobiova,Director of Third Asia Department, H.E. Alexander Ivanov, Ambassador at Large, and Mr. Andrey V. Lyamin,Deputy Director of Asia-Pacific Cooperation Department. END
