Putin will take part in the Russia-ASEAN summit via video link – Politics
MOSCOW, October 28. / TASS /. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday will take part in the Russia-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit via videoconference.
According to the Kremlin press service, the leaders, the countries of the union, summed up the results of many years of cooperation with humanitarian Russia, and also considered ways to expand opportunities in the political, economic and economic spheres, exchange views on the situation in the Asia-Pacific region (APR).
The summit is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of relations between Russia and ASEAN, which is celebrated this year.
Russia and ASEAN
The group of states in Southeast Asia includes Assorunei, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
Russia received the status of a regional dialogue in July 1996. In 2004, it joined the fundamental document regulating relations between ASEAN and its dialogue partners – the 1976 Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (the Bali Treaty). It establishes the norms and principles of interaction between the parties to the contract.
In December 2005, the first Russia-ASEAN summit was held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), following which a joint declaration on a developed partnership and a comprehensive program of action for cooperation for 2005-2015 were signed. It was replaced by an action plan for the development of cooperation for 2016-2020, approved in May 2016 at the summit in Sochi.
Strengthening cooperation
Following the results of the Russian-ASEAN summit in Singapore in November 2018, it was decided to increase the partnership to a strategic level. As a TASS correspondent was told in the Russian permanent mission in the secretariat of the association in Jakarta, “importance is attached to interaction with the ASEAN top ten in the field of politics and security, in the focus of which is the formation of an equal, balanced and transparent architecture of state relations in the Asia-Pacific region.” Russia, the diplomatic representative noted, “stands for strengthening the role of ASEAN in regional affairs, promotes expansion with the help of the association within the framework of the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum on Security (ARF), ASEAN Defense Conferences and Dialogue Partners” (“SMOA plus” ), other multilateral mechanisms “.
At the same time, the parties acknowledge that the economic potential is far from being fully explored. As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted in an interview with the Indonesian newspaper Rakyat Events in July, “the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions have negatively affected” trade turnover indicators. However, according to the current head of the Foreign Ministry, “there is again a tendency for its growth.” Lavrov expressed the hope that the building up of the association with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will give additional dynamism. The Minister noted that the two ASEAN states – Vietnam and Singapore – have already signed an agreement with the EAEU on free trade, in addition, Indonesia has begun the corresponding work.
Association Summit
The ASEAN summit, as well as the meetings of the leaders of the association and dialogue partners, started on October 26 in Brunei. In addition to the ASEAN-Russia summit, the program included the ASEAN-Australia, ASEAN-India, ASEAN-China, ASEAN-USA, ASEAN-Japan summits, as well as ASEAN + 3 (China, Republic of Korea, Japan).
The day before, on October 27, the East Asia summit was also held, in which Putin also took part via video link. This summit was established as a platform for a strategic dialogue of the APR member states on security issues and the promotion of practical cooperation.
During his speech, the President of the Russian Federation listed the opportunities for cooperation in various fields. Putin said that Russia is ready to share its experience in the fight against covid and training under the auspices of the EAS, a regional mechanism in the fight against the pandemic. He also noted that the proposal of the Russian Federation on a moratorium on intermediate and shorter-range missiles, including in the Asia-Pacific region, remains in force.
In this regard, 34% more than 34%. The Russian leader also indicated his interest in the closest cooperation with the states represented at the East Asian summits on digital cooperation.