Lavrov to Attend East Asia Summit in Jakarta

05 September 2023

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will participate in the East Asia Summit scheduled to take place in Jakarta on September 7. This announcement was made during a briefing by Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

 

"On September 7 in Jakarta, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry will take part in the 18th East Asian Summit," she said.

 

The diplomat emphasized that Russia views the summit platform "as a crucial component of the regional security framework, offering potential for multifaceted practical collaboration". She further explained, "At the event, our priority is to engage in discussions about the challenges confronting the Asia-Pacific region (APR). Specifically, we aim to highlight the risks of escalating the military and political situation in the APR, given the West's efforts to expand what they refer to as NATO's sphere of responsibility."

 

"There is also a need for a substantial discussion regarding the preservation of stability within the ASEAN-centric framework, which is currently under significant pressure from alternative blocs," emphasized the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

 

Furthermore, Zakharova highlighted that Moscow supports the expansion of comprehensive and practical cooperation within the East Asia Summit platform. "This approach, devoid of any political opportunism, forms the foundation of all Russian proposals," she stated.

 

"As part of his visit to Jakarta, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will engage in a series of meetings with regional partners and representatives of multilateral associations," the diplomat concluded.

 

 

About the ASEAN Summit

 

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related meetings with representatives of invited countries and regions will continue in Jakarta until September 7. During these meetings, both sides will discuss integration and enhanced cooperation in various areas, as well as several regional issues. According to local observers, the key topics to be discussed at the meeting may include the crisis in Myanmar and the situation in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, which is viewed differently by various countries.

 

On the sidelines of the summit, tentatively scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, there will be ASEAN partnership meetings with several countries. As a result, leaders such as Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and others will visit Indonesia. Jakarta will host the East Asia Summit on September 7.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry

Based on materials from TASS