Hanoi (VNA) - Russia affirmed to foster cooperation with ASEAN as part of the strategies to promote its position in Asia- Pacific region as well as facilitate the country’s socio-economic development, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The ministry underscored that it is important to join hands with ASEAN to build a complete and equal security structure in the region based on international regulations.
Russia also assured the necessity to develop collaboration with the bloc’s member states in the fights against new challenges and threats, especially terrorism and extremism, which are seriously affecting both Russia and Southeast Asian countries.
In addition to expanding trade and investment activities with ASEAN’s ten members, Russia also pays attention to enhancing relations in culture and humanity, aiming to deepen mutual understanding between the two sides’ people.
The ASEAN- Russia Commemorative Summit is scheduled for May 2016 in Sochi to mark the 20 th anniversary of the ASEAN- Russia Dialogue Partnership.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, with a total population of around 620 million.
Russia was ASEAN’s eighth largest trading partner in 2014. Two-way trade grew by 13 percent in 2014 to 22.5 billion USD.-VNA
