MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2021) Moscow assumes that boosting interaction between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will give additional dynamics to the trade between Russia and ASEAN, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
Lavrov expressed regret that the potential for Russia-ASEAN economic cooperation has not been fully discovered, but there are significant reserves.
"The coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions have negatively impacted our top ten trade figures. However, in 2021, an upward trend outlined again. We assume that boosting interaction of the Association with the Eurasian Economic Union will give it additional dynamics," he said in an interview with Indonesian newspaper Rakyat Merdeka.
"Already two ASEAN states - Vietnam and Singapore - have signed free trade agreements with the EAEU. Indonesia has started relevant work too," Lavrov said.
He said developing relations with ASEAN is Russia's priority.
"The development of relations with ASEAN, which turns 30 this year, is one of the priorities of our policy in the Asia-Pacific region. We have consistently assumed that the Association remains the core of regional integration processes and has formed a balanced and transparent system of interstate relations based on generally recognized norms of international law and mutual consideration of the legitimate interests of all states," the minister said.
He said Russia has consistently advocated strengthening the central role of ASEAN in Asia-Pacific.
