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Russia, ASEAN set to bolster cooperation in war on terror — joint statement

The parties to the joint statement also intend "to update the ASEAN-Russia Work Plan on Countering Terrorism and Transnational Crime"

SINGAPORE, October 28. /TASS/. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Russia agreed to bolster coordination and cooperation through joint mechanisms to fight terrorism and transnational crime, according to a joint document adopted at the Russia-ASEAN summit on Thursday.

The Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) to implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Russian Federation Strategic Partnership (2021-2025) reads, in particular, that Russia and ASEAN agreed "to enhance coordination and cooperation on counter terrorism and transnational crime through ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials Consultation Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and the ASEAN-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG on CTTC)."

The parties to the joint statement also intend "to update the ASEAN-Russia Work Plan on Countering Terrorism and Transnational Crime (2009), support and encourage its implementation."

Pursuant to the plan of action, Russia and ASEAN also agreed to exchange information on terrorist groups through the International Counterterrorism Database administered by the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). Russia also plans to render ASEAN assistance "in the prevention and suppression of the use of ICTs [Information and Communication Technologies] for terrorist and criminal purposes."

The ASEAN summit and the meetings of the leaders of the association and its dialogue partners kicked off in Brunei on October 26. Aside from the ASEAN-Russia summit, the program also included the ASEAN-Australia, ASEAN-India, ASEAN-China, ASEAN-US, ASEAN-Japan and also the ASEAN + 3 (China, the Republic of Korea and Japan) summits.

Russia gained the status of an ASEAN regional dialogue partner in July 1996. The first Russia-ASEAN summit was held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in December 2005.

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