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Russia, ASEAN states to draft cooperation plan for 2020 onwards

The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of expanding foreign policy coordination within key multilateral platforms and in the sphere of international security

MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi have agreed to form a plan to develop cooperation between Russia and ASEAN after 2020, also discussing steps to strengthen trade-economic and investment ties, the Russian Foreign Ministry informed on Monday on the outcomes of the talks in Moscow.

"An agreement to prepare a comprehensive package of measures to develop Russia-ASEAN cooperation in the period after 2020 was reached," the ministry informed. "Concrete steps to strengthen trade-economic and investment ties were discussed with a special focus on cooperation in the sphere of high technology and innovation, energy, finance, emergency response and culture. Expansion of contacts between business and expert circles was also discussed."

"Practical aspects of establishing cooperation between ASEAN, the Eurasian Economic Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the context of forming a Greater Eurasian Partnership and exchanging regional integration experience have been discussed. Namely, [Lavrov and Lim Jock Hoi] discussed the activation of contacts between the ASEAN Secretariat, the Eurasian Economic Commission and the SCO Secretariat," the ministry noted.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of expanding foreign policy coordination within key multilateral platforms and in the sphere of international security.

The ministry added that the sides had discussed international issues with a special focus on the prospects of establishing a balanced system of intergovernmental relations in the Asia-Pacific that would ensure stable security and sustainable development of the region’s states. "They also discussed current regional issues," the Russian diplomats informed.

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