Russia will focus on optimising the cooperation potential in politics, security, economy, trade, science and technology, and hopes to strengthen collaboration with ASEAN countries in culture, humanitarian activities and resume tourism activities after two years of interruption due to COVID-19 impacts, he stated.
The minister said that in 2022, Russia plans to organise regular meetings of inter-governmental committees, Foreign Ministries' consultations and high-level meetings with many Southeast Asian countries.
In July, Russia will organise celebration of the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Thailand, he said, pledging that Russia will effectively coordinate with Bangkok, Jakarta and Phnom Penh as the respective Chair of APEC, G20 and ASEAN.
Regarding the Myanmar situation, Lavrov affirmed that Russia supports the leading role of the ASEAN in seeking constructive international support for Myanmar. Russia is willing to work with ASEAN partners in providing humanitarian aid to Myanmar, including support in COVID-19 fight, he stressed.
On the relations with Vietnam, the Russian FM said that his country aims to further deepen ties with Vietnam, a long-standing and trustworthy friend of Russia. This year, Russia plans to continue with dialogue and in-depth political cooperation on a number of topics and areas in line with the spirit of the Vietnam-Russia statement on the joint vision of their comprehensive strategic partnership by 2030 which was released after the Russian visit by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in late 2021, he said.
Specifically, Russia hopes to strengthen trade and economic partnership with Vietnam including on the basis of the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Vietnam. Russia recognises the need to promote investment and expand cooperation in oil and gas exploration and exploitation between the two countries, he added.
Lavrov added that Russia also plans to organised a number of events that have been delayed in the Vietnam-Russia, Russia-Vietnam Year when COVID-19 restrictions are removed, affirming that Russia is willing to strengthen collaboration with Vietnam in education as well as in COVID-19 prevention and control.
The Russian FM recalled that Vietnam was one of the first countries to license Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine from Russia for emergency use in March 2021, and Vietnamese firms have signed contracts to purchase 60 million doses of the vaccine. Currently, Russia is considering the possibility to transfer the vaccine production technology to Vietnam after donating 100,000 doses of Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccines to Hanoi last December.
