Russia highly evaluates ASEAN's role model of multilateral cooperation

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a role model of multilateral cooperation for countries and organisations around the world to learn from, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on August 2.

For more than half a century, ASEAN has established itself as one of the most authoritative organisations, a crucial element of the new multipolar world order and a hub centred around by many important political and economic processes in Asia-Pacific, Zakharova said in her remarks to mark the 55th founding anniversary of the bloc.

ASEAN's unwavering commitment to the broad and inclusive interaction principle and the harmonious coexistence of all member states, regardless of differences in government forms, economic structures and cultural norms, have enabled it to develop a system of multilateral cooperation mechanisms and become a model for this type of interaction in the world, she noted.

The official emphasised that Moscow regards ASEAN as a priority in Russia’s foreign policy in Asia and that Russia highly appreciates “ASEAN way,” the region’s unique method of diplomacy which embodies the centuries-old political and moral cultures of Asian nations. It is something that many countries and organisations around the globe must learn from ASEAN, she said.

Zakharova also informed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was scheduled to visit Myanmar on August 3 where he planned to meet his Myanmar counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin and the Southeast Asian country’s top leaders to discuss the prospect of fostering the bilateral relations.

Cambodia will be the next destination of his tour to Southeast Asia./.

VNA