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JAKARTA, May 12. /TASS/. Russia is an extremely important partner for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in an exclusive interview with TASS.
"I would like to note that the coming summit in Sochi will be an anniversary one for our countries. Russia is an extremely important partner for ASEAN," she stressed.
According to her, at the meeting it is planned to "discuss a number of regional and international issues, economic issues."
"The countries of the association are interested in intensification of cooperation (with Russia - TASS) on economy, energy sector, on the level of small and medium enterprises," the minister stressed.
She reminded that Sochi will soon host a meeting between the leaders of Russia, ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union.
"Indonesia is generally and fundamentally open to any agreements on creation free trade zones, economic partnership with other organizations. Of course we should study the details, terms and so on," the minister said.
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.