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Russia hoping EU will get involved in ASEM cooperation — Lavrov

The natural process of states and international institution drawing closer to each other across the ASEM space is meant to facilitate pan-Eurasian integration in the foreseeable future, the Russian Foreign Minister noted

MOSCOW, June 22. /TASS/. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum can play a significant role in boosting multilateralism and overcoming dividing lines in Eurasia, Russia hopes that the EU will get involved in these efforts, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday in a video address to members of the ASEM high-level dialogue.

"I hope that the EU will join in our constructive work. The natural [process] of states and international institution drawing closer to each other across the ASEM space is meant to facilitate pan-Eurasian integration in the foreseeable future. I would like to remind you that it is what the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin to establish the Greater Eurasian Partnership is precisely aimed at," the minister said.

ASEM is an informal inter-regional dialogue platform for cooperation in politics and security, as well as in the financial-economic and social-cultural spheres. It was established in March 1996 and consists of 53 member states and organizations: 22 from Asia and 31 from Europe. Russia and Singapore are the Asian coordinators, while the European Commission and Germany are the European ones.