JAKARTA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2023) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that Moscow and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have good prospects for cooperation on the issues of energy and food security.
"New initiatives in the digitalization of economy and development of smart cities are also on the agenda. There are good prospects for cooperation in food and energy security, in education," Lavrov told the Russia-ASEAN meeting in Indonesia's capital Jakarta.
The minister noted that Russia advocates for the consolidation of an ASEAN-centric architecture, which should remain the foundation for security and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.
"We know that not everyone likes it, but we are guided not by someone's preferences but by the objective goal of peace and stability in this huge area," Lavrov added.
Lavrov arrived in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Wednesday for a three-day official visit to meet with his counterparts and participate in ASEAN meetings.
ASEAN is the association of 10 Southeast Asian states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, aimed at fostering both political and economic cooperation among its members. Indonesia is chairing the association in 2023.
