The Philippines welcomes Russia's efforts in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East and views Moscow as a fair-play strategic partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Ann K. Hofer, the chair of the Philippine House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th November, 2019) The Philippines welcomes Russia's efforts in promoting peace and stability in the middle East and views Moscow as a fair-play strategic partner within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Ann K. Hofer, the chair of the Philippine House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Wednesday.According to the lawmaker, the Philippine diaspora counts nearly 10 million people, with 2 million residing in the Middle East alone.
"We welcome Russia's efforts, consistent with the United Nations Charter and Security Council resolutions, to help bring peace and stability to the Middle East," Hofer said at a meeting with the Russian upper house's Foreign Affairs Committee.
The situation on the Korean peninsula is also of utmost concern for the Philippine government, and therefore Manila welcomes Moscow's role in endorsing efforts toward resolving the existing tensions there, the lawmaker added.
"In ASEAN, we see Russia as a strategic partner, one that seeks deeper engagement and not power projection," Hofer said.
Since the spinoff of escalation in the Middle East, specifically around the Iran-US strife and the situation in Syria, Russia has been actively promoting peace and de-escalation in the region. Last week, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Moscow is maintaining a constant dialogue with the Middle Eastern states on creating a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the region.
