ASEAN foreign ministers met their regional counterparts during the annual ministerial conference in Manila on Wednesday (July 22).
Present in the meeting is Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who in his speech emphasized consideration for the interests of all ASEAN’s participants and Russia’s continued support for the bloc’s central role in regional affairs.
“Russia firmly believes that ASEAN is our reliable and like-minded partner,” said Lavrov.
The series of ASEAN meetings continue in the Philippines amid renewed hostilities in the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, and continued strikes between Russia and Ukraine.
“Russia firmly believes that ASEAN is our reliable and like-minded partner. For our part, we consistently support ASEAN's central role in all regional affairs and make our contribution to strengthening the system of interstate relations built around the association, which is based on the principles of international law, openness, equality, and, I emphasize, consideration of the interests of all participants," Lavrov says.
