🇷🇺 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in the 18th East Asia Summit #EAS

📍 🇮🇩Jakarta, September 7

🗓 On July 26 and 27, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend annual ministerial events held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN) in Vientiane. He will take part in foreign ministers’ meetings in the Russia-ASEAN format, as well as within the East Asia Summit (#EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (#ARF).

🌏 ASEAN is currently one of the most successful regional organisations which forms the core of the integration processes in the Asia-Pacific Region. The association has created a solid network of interstate institutions involving the leading world powers.

This year, Russia marks 20 years of joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (the Bali Treaty). Signed in 1976, it is one of the fundamental documents for ASEAN in terms of ensuring regional peace and stability.

❗️ Russia views ASEAN as one of the key partners in the context of carrying out the initiative to build a Eurasian security architecture as set forth by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The agenda of the July 26 #RussiaASEAN ministerial meeting covers cooperation matters in all their aspects, including politics, trade and economics.

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📈 In 2023, Russia’s trade with ASEAN countries increased by 14.6 percent to almost $22 billion.

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Russia has coined a range of #EAS initiatives. They include creating a mechanism of pan-regional cooperation on countering epidemics and restoring economic potential by stimulating tourism.

We consider the #ARF as one of the key platforms for discussing topical issues of the regional agenda, developing measures of mutual trust and preventive diplomacy, and boosting non-politicised practical cooperation in security.

During the forum’s 31st session on July 27, we will thoroughly discuss countering new threats and challenges. We will summarise the results of #RussiaIndonesia co-chairmanship in the Russia-ASEAN Forum on the Safe Use of Information and Communication Technologies in 2022-2024.

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🤝 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in the East Asia Summit (#EAS) Ministerial Meeting

📍 Vientiane, July 27, 2024

#RussiaEAS

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to media questions following his visit to Malaysia

📍 Kuala Lumpur, July 28, 2024

❓Question: The US has been obsessively trying to create another training ground out of countries in the southeast. Is it relevant to say that cooperation between Russia and Asia can help the region maintain its sovereignty?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Of course. I think we had a chance to see it for ourselves yesterday and the day before in Laos during the East Asia Summit (#EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (#ARF).

Russia is seen as a balancing and stabilising factor in the context of countering the extremely sharp-elbowed actions by the countries outside the region, led by the US, who push their military infrastructure, including strategic arms. <...>

Our balanced and clear stance always comes from the need to create platforms for negotiations and to agree on the basis of a balance of interests. This stance receives respect. Certainly, in contrast to the invasive and aggressive course of the US and NATO for military development of the region, our stance is closer to our #ASEAN friends.

❓ Question: Last night saw another escalation in the Middle East, namely a missile attack on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in which mostly children and teenagers were killed and injured. Israel has accused Lebanon, while Lebanon has put the blame on Israel. What is the likelihood of an all-out war between Israel and Lebanon? What could be done to prevent further bloodshed?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: So far, we do not see any possibility of stopping the bloodshed. In response to numerous calls for a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will not stop until it destroys Hamas completely. I believe, and many of my colleagues share this view, that the destruction of that organisation, which has significant capabilities and enjoys broad support, including in the Muslim world, is an unrealistic task.

Russia condemns all terrorist attacks committed by any group. We condemned Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. But Israel’s retaliatory actions have been unacceptable. They are a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and amount to collective punishment of people, which international conventions prohibit. <...>

I am sure that the main condition for a lasting solution to the Middle East crisis is the fulfilment of the UN Security Council resolution on the establishment of a Palestinian state as soon as possible. This cannot be achieved without restoring Palestinian unity so that the Palestinians themselves can determine the format of negotiations regarding their life in a sovereign state. This goal has not yet been achieved. Efforts must continue towards this end.

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🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following the Russia-ASEAN conference and the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Vientiane, July 27 2024)

💬 We have been working in the capital of Laos for two days. This year, this country chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN).

The annual #RussiaASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting took place on July 26, 2024. During the meeting, we reviewed our cooperation in all aspects in a trust-based, specific and business-like manner, and went on to adopt a Joint Statement on the 20th Anniversary of Russia’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (the Bali Treaty).

The Joint Statement sets forth the principles of equality, mutual benefit, taking into consideration each other’s interests and achieving a balance of interests. We expressed our shared view that these principles remain fully valid and relevant, especially today, considering the attempts to introduce a bloc-based mindset in the Asia-Pacific Region and create all kinds of exclusive mechanisms there, while also enabling NATO with its infrastructure to gain a foothold in this region. This runs counter to the objective of reinforcing an ASEAN-centric security architecture. Shaped by decades of continuous efforts, it meets the interests of all participants.

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We carried out a performance review under the Comprehensive Plan of Action to Implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Russian Federation Strategic Partnership in 2021-2025.

🌐 The coordination of documents on digital transformation is nearing completion. In 2024, Russia has become ASEAN’s digital partner. And the drafting of joint documents on countering terrorism and the safe use of information and communications technology is in its final stage. These domains are of utmost importance. In fact, it was largely Russia that initiated these joint plans with ASEAN to work on this agenda.

The East Asia Summit (#EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (#ARF) are scheduled to take place today at the foreign ministers’ level. These two formats offer an opportunity to emphasise the contrasts between the trends that have been taking shape within the ASEAN-centric architecture over the past decades, with the developments the West is trying to introduce in this region by seeking to accelerate its militarisation, setting up restricted military and political blocs, deploying new weapons and escalating confrontation in general.

☝️ The ASEAN-centric architecture implies an inclusive vision. The EAS and the ARF bring together ASEAN and its major partners, such as China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and Western countries. On the other hand, the West promotes cooperation formats which are less inclusive with a clear objective of containing China and Russia.

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🗓 Every year on August 8, the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN) mark ASEAN Day. This date was approved by the ASEAN Standing Committee at its annual meeting in May 2005.

🌏 ASEAN was founded in Bangkok on August 8, 1967, by Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, which signed the so-called Bangkok Declaration. Later, this regional organisation was joined by Brunei (1984), Vietnam (1995), Laos and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999).

ASEAN is one of the most successful regional organisations. It has a broad network of various intergovernmental associations involving Russia and other leading world powers: the East Asia Summit (#EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (#ARF), and ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (#ADMMPlus).

☝️ Promoting ties with ASEAN is Russia’s key foreign policy priority in Asia. The Russian Permanent Mission to ASEAN has been based in Jakarta since 2017. In 2018, Russia-ASEAN relations reached the level of strategic partnership, resulting in closer coordination on current global and regional issues with the ten member countries at leading multilateral venues, including the UN.

🤝 On July 26 and 27, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended annual ministerial events held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vientiane. He took part in Foreign Ministers’ meetings in the Russia-ASEAN format, as well as within the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

💬 President Vladimir Putin at the Russia-ASEAN Summit (October 28, 2021): "Strengthening ties with ASEAN and its member states has always been and remains one of Russia's foreign policy priorities. <...> I would like to point out that the positions of Russia and the ASEAN states on key global and regional matters are similar in many respects. Most importantly, we all support the expansion of equal and mutually beneficial cooperation in the vast Asia-Pacific space."

#RussiaASEAN

🇷🇺🇱🇦 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith hold talks on the sidelines of the 19th East Asia Summit (#EAS).

📍 Vientiane, October 10, 2024

#RussiaLaos

🇷🇺🇻🇳 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son hold a meeting in Vientiane on the sidelines of the 19th East Asia Summit (#EAS).

📍 Vientiane, October 10, 2024

#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in the 19th East Asia Summit (#EAS)

📍 Vientiane, October 11, 2024

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following the 19th East Asia Summit (#EAS)

📍 Vientiane, October 11, 2024

💬 Sergey Lavrov: We have completed our meetings as part of the 19th East Asia Summit. President of Russia Vladimir Putin instructed me to represent him at this event.

The discussions evidenced that our Western colleagues, who are #ASEAN partners <…> have been seeking to undermine the multilateral economic and security architecture which has evolved over decades with ASEAN at its core and which has proven its relevance and effectiveness.

However, it is obvious today that the United States and its allies decided to draw the Asia-Pacific Region into NATO’s sphere of interests by creating all these narrow and exclusive US-led military and political associations. <...>

☝️ We have highlighted that this Western policy may lead to the region’s militarisation, while also threatening stability and sustainable development in the Asian part of our shared continent.

Russia reaffirmed its unwavering support for ASEAN countries in their efforts to preserve peace and ensure equal cooperation with all ASEAN partners.

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👉 Instead of using the events held as part of the East Asia Summit for pursuing vested political interests, Russia opted for promoting initiatives in several domains, including pandemic response, people-to-people contacts, including tourism, and supporting volunteering. We offer practical avenues for working together which can benefit all the participants and advocate equal and mutually beneficial cooperation. <...>

The Association hosted the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as its guest at the East Asia Summit for the third time. He put forward a proposal to promote closer contacts between the SCO and ASEAN in various spheres that are relevant for the countries involved. <...>

We welcomed the fact that several ASEAN countries want to forge closer ties with #BRICS. Today, this structure acts as one of the cornerstones of a multipolar world order. In just a few days, Kazan will be hosting the BRICS Summit, which will be a major international event. Several ASEAN countries were invited to attend it, and they accepted these invitations.

Excerpts from responses to media questions. Key talking points:

• The final declaration has not been adopted because of the persistent attempts by the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand to turn it into a purely political statement, contrary to the decades-long practice of East Asia summits, which boils down to preventing the saturation of declarations with confrontational geopolitical narratives.

• When the United States and its allies unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN’s central role in facilitating cooperation in the region today, they were being dishonest. Everything they do is aimed at containing Russia and China. Everything that has been accomplished in the ASEAN-centric format over decades is being sacrificed to this goal now. That format was convenient for everyone and incorporated the interests of each and every stakeholder. So, the destructive nature of Washington’s actions in the region is obvious.

• We are seriously concerned about re-militarisation of Japan. Having forgotten the lessons of WWII, the Japanese authorities have stated increasing defence spending and augmenting its basic doctrines with a pre-emptive strike capability.

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Ambassador of Russia to ASEAN H.E. Mr. Evgeny Zagaynov 🇷🇺
💬 "Attempts to politicize the East Asia Summit (#EAS) agenda are detrimental to the regional cooperation".

https://m.antaranews.com/berita/4400313/rusia-ada-upaya-masukkan-geopolitik-di-ktt-asia-timur?utm_source=antaranews&utm_medium=mobile&utm_campaign=latest_category