ASEAN and Russia to enhance the strategic relations

TIN LIÊN QUAN
	ASEAN 2020: ASEAN countries’ Ambassadors to Russia appreciate Vietnam’s role
	Special ASEAN-Russia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19 held online

Ambassador of Russi to Vietnam Konstantin Vnukov.

One of the main directions of Russia's foreign policy is to consolidate its position in the Asia-Pacific rim and develop cooperation with countries in the region. In that spirit, one of Russia's priorities in Asia is to promote the strategic partnership with ASEAN.

ASEAN-A successful regional organization

ASEAN has been considered as one of the most successful regional organizations, the nucleus of a series of international fora, such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and ASEAN Defense Minister's Meeting Plus (ADMM+). ASEAN also shares with Russia its view and approach in building an open, balanced, equal and indivisible security order in Asia - Pacific with ASEAN playing the central role.

Russia is working closely with ASEAN member countries in response to the new risks and challenges. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working with partners in ASEAN to outline the 15^th EAS Special Summit 's Joint Statement.

Russia has also strengthened its coordination with 10 ASEAN countries at major international forums, including the United Nations, on urgent international and regional issues, such as arms control, non-proliferation of destructive weapons, anti-terrorism, ensuring international information security, combating drug trafficking and transnational crimes. Russian authorities are assisting ASEAN's special law and security agencies in organizing training courses on fighting terrorism and extremism.

It is reported that at the ASEAN-Russia Summit in May 2016, Russian President V. Putin proposed the idea of ​​cooperation between Asia - Europe organizations, including the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and ASEAN as part of Great Asia - Europe initiative.

So far, the first steps have been taken in this direction, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the ASEAN Secretariat, and the implementation of the Cooperation Program between Eurasian Economic Commission – ASEAN for the period of 2019-2020. The parties also reached an agreement on the continuation of this Cooperation Program until 2025.

The economic-trade and investment relations between Russia and ASEAN countries have also seen continuously active development. The two sides are jointly implementing cooperation projects in various fields from agriculture to energy.

The two sides have established relations in the fields of humanities and education. The ASEAN Center at Moscow State Institute of International Relations is actively promoting many joint initiatives. Under the auspices of the Center, many scientific activities have been held regularly with the participation of Russian and ASEAN experts. The ASEAN-Russia senior youth forums are also maintained.

We look forward to strengthening our relationship to upgrade the strategic partnership with ASEAN.

2020 - a year of drastic actions

This year is really special to all of us. The world faces the greatest security risk since the Second World War - the rapid outbreak of the dangerous Coronavirus that no country can solely combat. In this context, the role of multilateral cooperation mechanisms like ASEAN is becoming increasingly significant.

Over the past decades, ASEAN has affirmed its vitality, as well as its solidarity in the face of the common threat to the Bloc. The existence of dialogue partner institutions, as well as expanded cooperation mechanisms (EAS, ARF, ADMM+), allows ASEAN to play a coordinating role with countries inside and outside the region, helping to increase the importance of ASEAN's integration process.

Vietnam has taken the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and put the annual theme as "Cohesive and Responsive”. The theme is very significant in the context that air carriers have temporarily halted international flights and all ASEAN activities cannot be held in a normal manner, requiring timely adjusting of organizing measures with the updated agenda. Nevertheless, Vietnam has so far successfully dealt with the critical situation. In mid-April 2020, ASEAN and ASEAN Plus Three Summits were successfully held via video conference, with the main agenda of cooperation against COVID-19.

We look forward to Vietnam's drastic chairmanship in 2020 to promote the theme of integration at ASEAN forums, attracting the efforts of the international community in response to the pandemic, thus continuing the achievements of the previous years of the ASEAN Chairmanship. We hope that the implementation of the priorities announced by Vietnam, first of all, to enhance the contribution of 10 ASEAN countries to maintaining peace, security and stability will contribution to the formation of an equal and indivisible security structure in the Asia-Pacific region.

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