DFA Says That ASEAN Does Not Support Efforts to Isolate Russia

In a briefing of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), they stated that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) does not support plans to isolate Russia and even wants to push for more engagement with Moscow in the future, especially in areas such as trade.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs, Daniel R. Espiritu mentioned that Russia’s Prime Minister is expected to join in the next ASEAN meetings as the bloc plans to organize “economic and socio-cultural activities” that include Russia.

The ASEAN’s position places the region more open to options about goods that Russia can export such as grain and energy.

“Russia has been a partner for a long time of ASEAN, and so we have a lot of common cooperation projects,”  says Espiritu.

“In fact, 2022 is a year of scientific and technological cooperation between ASEAN and Russia. The relations between ASEAN and Russia transcend politics, and they include all of these economic and socio-cultural cooperation activities,”  he says.

“We are also working on a work program… on trade and investment between ASEAN and Russia, and that would still go towards helping economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic and of course the crisis in Ukraine.”

Despite this, ASEAN is still concerned about the situation in Ukraine. The bloc plans on giving humanitarian aid to displaced Ukrainians and has called for a cessation of hostilities several times says, Espiritu.

On the topic of the effect of the Russia – Ukraine war on the regional economy, Espiritu says that the ASEAN “will not be hampered simply because of the economic crisis”.

Source: Business World