MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/. Issues of regional security amid NATO’s efforts to extend its outreach into Asia were the focus of the 13th East Asian Summit (EAS) ministerial meeting and the 30th session of the ASEAN Regional Forum, which were attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
"During the discussion of issues on the international agenda, the Russian side focused on the processes of forming a multipolar world order. Special attention was paid to the threats to regional security in light of NATO potentially reaching Asia and the West establishing bloc mechanisms of network deterrence," it said.
According to the ministry, Russia reiterated its commitment to strengthening the security architecture within ASEAN and boosting the efficiency of the ASEAN mechanisms countering challenges and threats in the Asia Pacific region. "The Russian side stressed the importance of preserving the inclusive and nonpoliticized dialogue within ASEAN on the basis of the principles of equality, consensus, and due account for the interests of all countries," the ministry added.
The ministry noted that the EAS meeting addressed issues surrounding the preparations for the upcoming 18th East Asia Summit due to be held in Jakarta in September. "The sides agreed the association’s plan of work in the medium term perspective, for 2024-2028," the ministry said. "Russia called on the partners to invigorate joint efforts toward practical implementation of Russian initiatives on the establishment of an EAS mechanism of epidemic response and on developing cooperation in the area of tourism. They also discussed prospects for establishing ties between volunteer organizations in Asia Pacific."
During the ASEAN Regional Forum session, Russia spoke in favor of boosting the forum’s potential in such areas as fighting terrorism, strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime, and ensuring the security of information and communications technologies. "The sides stressed the inadmissibility of reshaping the forum’s mandate and attempts at imposing bloc-based rules, which are in the interests of a narrow group of countries," the ministry said.
As a co-chair, along with Indonesia, of the ASEAN Regional Forum’s intersession mechanism on the security of information and communications technologies in 2022-2024, Russia put forth practical initiatives in the area of combating cybercrime. The ministers adopted a statement on the occasion of the forum’s 30th anniversary.