Russia-ASEAN ministerial meeting opens on Bali

BALI ISLAND (Indonesia), July 22 (Itar-Tass) - Interaction in the
sphere of the economy, energy, science and technology, as well as dealing
with new threats and challenges - are in the focus of the ASEAN-Russia
Ministerial Meeting that opened on Bali Island on Friday. Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov heads the Russian delegation.
"This year's meeting year is marked with the 15th anniversary of the
partnership dialogue, established in 1996," the Russian Foreign Ministry
noted. "We have come a long way during this period: the relationship was
raised to the highest level."
"The intensity of contacts between the concerned agencies of Russia
and ASEAN structures has grown," the ministry stressed. A 'roadmap' of
trade-economic and investment cooperation is being developed, and the
working programme of energy cooperation for 2010-2015 is being
successfully implemented."
"Additional opportunities for expanding joint projects have been
created by the RF decision to increase from 2011 Russia's annual
contribution to the Dialogue Partnership Financial Fund to 1.5 million US
dollars," the diplomatic mission said.
In addition to the Russian Federation - ASEAN meeting, the Russian
side will for the first time be present as a full-fledged member at the
ministerial meeting of the East Asian Summits (EAS) mechanism, which
Russia (simultaneously with the USA) officially joined in October 2010.
The main issue on the EAS ministerial meeting agenda will be the
preparation of the next summit to be held within the framework of ASEAN
annual summit events on Bali on November 17-19. It is also planned to
agree on the draft final document - the Declaration on Principles of
Relations between the EAS countries.
"Russia assesses EAS as an important factor in the formation of a
comprehensive, balanced and open architecture in the Asia Pacific region,
commensurate with modern security challenges," the Russian Foreign
Ministry said. "EAS can objectively qualify for the role of the leading
platform for strategic dialogue between the leaders on the problems of
regional security."
At the upcoming meeting the Russian side intends to confirm readiness
to take an active part in the implementation of joint programmes within
the framework of the EAS relevant sectoral mechanisms.
"The involvement in the integration processes unfolding in the region
will help attract this association's potential to a more efficient use of
the opportunities of cooperation with China, the United States, India,
Japan, Korea, ASEAN member states in the interest of Russia's economic
development, socio-economic development of Siberia and the Far East," the
Russian Foreign Ministry noted.
AESAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is a geopolitical and
economic organisation of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which
was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include
Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include the
acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development
among its members, the protection of the peace and stability of the
region, and to provide opportunities for member countries to discuss
differences peacefully.
ASEAN covers an area of 4.46 million square km, 3 percent of the total
land area of Earth, with a population of approximately 600 million people,
8.8 percent of the world population. In 2010, its combined nominal GDP had
grown to US$1.8 trillion. If ASEAN was a single entity, it would rank as
the ninth largest economy in the world.
According to the organisation's website, ASEAN-Russia Dialogue
Partnership could be traced back to July 1991 when the then Deputy Prime
Minister of the Russian Federation attended the Opening Session of the
24th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur as a guest of the
Malaysian Government. Russia was subsequently elevated to a full Dialogue
Partner of ASEAN at the 29th AMM in July 1996 in Jakarta.
ASEAN and Russia maintain good political and security relations. A
milestone in ASEAN-Russia dialogue relations was when Russia acceded to
the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) on 29 November
2004. Russia's accession to the TAC reflects her strong commitment to
regional peace, stability and a significant contribution to the TAC as an
important code of conduct governing inter-states relations.
Russia participates in a series of consultative meetings with ASEAN
under the ASEAN-Russia dialogue relations to discuss and exchange views on
political and security issues of mutual interest and concern. These
include ministerial meetings, senior officials meetings and meetings at
experts level, as well as through dialogue and cooperation frameworks
initiated by ASEAN, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Post
Ministerial Conferences (PMCs) 10+1, and the East Asia Summit, staring in
2011.
At the first ASEAN-Russia Summit in December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur,
ASEAN and Russia signed the Joint Declaration of the Heads of
State/Government of the Member Countries of ASEAN and the Russian
Federation on Progressive and Comprehensive Partnership. The Joint
Declaration promotes and strengthens ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership in
a wide range of areas including political and security, economic and
development cooperation. ASEAN and Russia also adopted the Comprehensive
Programme of Action 2005-2015 to realise the goals and objectives set out
in the Joint Declaration.
ASEAN-Russia cooperation is undertaken under the Framework of the
ASEAN-Russia Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) to Promote Cooperation
between ASEAN and Russia 2005-2015. The CPA is aimed at promoting and
enhancing ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Relations through assisting ASEAN in its
efforts in regional economic integration and community building. A Roadmap
to Implement the CPA is adopted to better the implementation of the CPA.