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Russia and ASEAN on way toward strategic partnership — Thailand’s PM

Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says Thailand supports raising the level of cooperation between Russia and ASEAN
Thailand’s Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha  AP Photo/Vincent Thian
Thailand’s Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
© AP Photo/Vincent Thian

BANGKOK, May 12. /TASS/. Thailand supports raising the level of cooperation between Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strategic partnership, Thailand’s Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told TASS on Thursday ahead of Russia-ASEAN summit on May 19-20 in Sochi.

"I have no doubt that the jubilee Russia-ASEAN summit will facilitate multilateral cooperation between ASEAN and Russia and will lay a path toward strategic partnership between the two sides," Prayut said.

He thinks that Russia "plays a big role by contributing to peace and prosperity in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific." "We hope that Russia will continue supporting ASEAN’s regional architecture, especially through its involvement in such formats as East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, council of defense ministers," he added.

Russia has been ASEAN’s dialogue partner since July 1996. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to participants in the meeting in Sochi that "achieved results represent a good basis for taking Russia-ASEAN relations to a qualitatively new level of strategic partnership." "This is precisely the main aim of the jubilee Russia-ASEAN summit that will take place on May 19-20 in Sochi," he added.

Russia-ASEAN summit

The Russia-ASEAN summit will be held in Sochi on May 19-20 and will become the biggest international event in Russia in 2016. The summit will be held under the slogan "Towards Strategic Partnership for the Sake of the Common Good."

The summit is expected to adopt a declaration that will lay the basis for an action plan of Russia-ASEAN cooperation in the political, economic and cultural spheres, as well as in the sphere of security.

Russia has been a dialog partner of ASEAN since July 1996. Similar partnership summits are normally held on the territory of member-states and the choice of Sochi as venue for the Russia-ASEAN summit on the partnership’s 20th anniversary is symbolic.