Russian FM, ASEAN ambassadors discuss further strategic partnership - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with accredited ambassadors of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Moscow on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.

"A substantive conversation took place in the context of this year's 35th anniversary of Russia-AEAN relations on the subject of advancing the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership across a whole host of areas, including countering common challenges and threats, trade and investment, highly technological and research-intensive industries, digitization, the energy sector, and broader business and youth contacts," the statement said.

"The main emphasis was made on discussing the organization of anniversary events and approval of a new manifesto document for the medium-term," it said.

"A substantive exchange of views on pressing issues of the international and regional agendas proved the importance of the Russia-ASEAN dialogue for the formation of a solid architecture of Asia-Pacific regional security and cooperation, based on respect for international law, equal rights and openness. [The sides] noted the prospects of interlinking with Eurasian integration processes, increasing ASEAN's cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union and Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and establishing ASEAN-BRICS contacts," the statement said.