Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope that Russia supports the standpoint and principles of ASEAN in safeguarding peace, and stability in the South China Sea, to which Vietnam refers as East Sea.Phuc made statement when together with other ASEAN leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin attending the third Russia-ASEAN Summit, which is part of the 33rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings, in Singapore on November 14.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the 3rd ASEAN-Russia Summit. Photo: Quang Hieu
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He said the ASEAN-Russia strategic partners will help boost practical and efficient cooperation in responding to traditional and non-traditional security challenges that threaten security and stability in the region while pushing the implementation of roadmaps and comprehensive frameworks pertaining to trade and investment.
For his part, Russian President Putin welcomed the upgrade of Russia-ASEAN ties to strategic partnership on the basis of mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation for peace, stability and cooperation for mutual development in the region.
He affirmed that Russia agrees to promote comprehensive cooperation with ASEAN in its strong fields which correspond to ASEAN’s interests, and supports connectivity and strengthened economic ties with ASEAN and between the bloc and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
ASEAN leaders congratulated President Vladimir Putin on his re-election and lauded Russia for hosting the World Cup 2018. Moreover, the ASEAN nations praised Russia for promoting its responsible and active role to contribute to peace, stability and cooperation for mutual development in the region and effectively respond to newly emerging challenges.
ASEAN countries welcomed the encouraging progress made in the ASEAN-Russia cooperation since the ASEAN Summit highlighting the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations in 2016, as well as the positive results in implementing the ASEAN-Russia Action Plan in the period of 2016-2020.
ASEAN nations expect Russia to keep supporting the central role of the bloc and actively get involved in the efforts to foster dialogues, cooperation, trust-building, international law compliance, and common norms of conduct via mechanisms headed by ASEAN.
The two sides agreed to enhance their cooperation in fields of common interests such as increased trade in trade, investment, science, technology, agriculture, energy, national disaster and calamity response, healthcare, education, counter-transnational crime, and information technology security, and others.
At the meeting, the two sides reached an important decision to upgrade the ASEAN-Russia relations to strategic partners and adopted the ASEAN-Russia Joint Statement on strategic partners as well as the ASEAN-Russia Declaration on cooperation in numerous fields.
Concluding the summit, ASEAN and Russia leaders witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).
