Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Photo: REUTERS
For two days, on July 13 and 14, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry uses three platforms in demand in Southeast Asia to discuss the most sensitive issues with the states of this increasingly promising region.
On Thursday, Lavrov participated in a meeting of foreign ministers in the Russia-ASEAN format, and on Friday he is scheduled to speak at meetings of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Security Forum.
What did Lavrov come to Jakarta to talk about?
In the Indonesian capital Jakarta, our delegation, according to the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, arrived to launch new areas of cooperation, including digital transformation and the development of smart cities.
Lavrov also suggested that ASEAN pay maximum attention to ensuring energy and food security, taking into account the extremely difficult situation in world markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions against Russia.
“We have very specific plans, aimed at developing practical cooperation in various fields,” Lavrov said in Jakarta.
Sergei Lavrov and Wang Yi before the start of negotiations.
Photo: REUTERS
What schemes did Lavrov reject?
The meeting of Foreign Ministers in the Russia-ASENAN format began with the traditional so-called “family photo”, in which all its participants shook hands. Many speakers said that if ASEAN wants to remain relevant, it must learn to work together. Even with Russia.
In 2023, our country’s strategic partnership with ASEAN will be five years old. Despite the fact that relations in total have been developing for more than 30 years. “Our desire is to contribute to the formation of a great Eurasian association not through some artificially formulated schemes, but from life, from those practical projects that are being implemented on earth… I am optimistic about further interaction” said the Russian Foreign Minister. Minister emphasized.
What prevented Wang Yi from starting a conversation with Lavrov?
And then Lavrov began to “double-sided”. Even with the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, and now head of the office of the Commission of the Central Committee on Foreign Relations of China of the CCP, Wang Yi.
But there was no way to start a conversation. Wang Yi stubbornly pressed the button on the microphone, but it still did not light up. “The problem came from where they didn’t expect it,” Lavrov joked. The Chinese laughed. Only after a few long minutes, the assistants who came to the rescue were able to revive the equipment.
“Dear friend, I am very happy about our new meeting. In the context of tectonic changes in the world, we always follow the important consensus of our heads of state. We strongly support each other… We are deeply convinced of the bright prospects of our relations,” Wang Yi addressed Lavrov. “The rich agenda of the Russian-Chinese dialogue requires a regular check of the clocks. In that sense, our meeting today is very, very timely,” our minister replied.
Can ASEAN stop the US from exploiting Asia?
This year, ASEAN is ruled by Indonesia. Jakarta chose the “Epicenter of Growth” as the theme of his presidency, vowing to make ASEAN a pillar of global stability. But this growth can clearly be hampered by the deepening contradictions between China and the United States. And the question is: will the ASEAN countries be able to maintain neutrality?
– Those agreements that are reached taking into account the interests of each one on the basis of mutual benefit, are much stronger than something imposed in a hurry, with the desire to announce something higher on the eve of this or that electoral cycle. I cannot agree that ASEAN is an inefficient structure, Lavrov emphasized.
Lavrov’s opinion on the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine
On his way to the press, Sergey Lavrov answered a question from Komsomolskaya Pravda.
– Previously, many countries in Southeast Asia suffered from cluster munitions. At the same time, Russia helped clear mines, for example, Laos. Don’t you think that the regional experience could be useful for the West to understand the criminality of the intentions to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine?
– I don’t think anything at all can help the West to realize the criminality, the counterproductiveness or the illegitimacy of what they sometimes do. The West will decide specific issues based on political expediency at one time or another. These are the same rules on which you want the world order to be based, and they change from case to case.
Not only Laos suffered from cluster munitions during the anti-colonial wars. Cambodia has suffered no less. The demolition is still in progress. By the way, we are actively helping Laos. We train sappers for Laos. Regularly and in large quantities. Well, our technologies are actively used.
I met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos here. We discussed the matter with him. And regarding the US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Laotian Foreign Ministry made a corresponding statement warning against these risky steps.
Help “KP”
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in August 1967. Today it includes ten countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. It is declared that the main objectives of this international organization are cooperation in the economic, social and cultural fields, as well as the strengthening of peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
