Philippines, Russia vow to help maintain regional peace, development

MOSCOW – The Philippines and Russia have vowed to contribute to efforts to maintain peace and development in Asia Pacific as Moscow seeks closer ties with countries in the region.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Russia President Vladimir Putin have agreed to work together to promote cooperation in the region and to create an environment conducive for growth.

“The Parties reiterated their readiness to further enhance cooperation in the Asia Pacific region and on the international arena on the whole aimed at the creation of favorable conditions for economic growth of both States and contributing to maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region,” the two leaders said in a joint statement on Duterte’s visit here.

Duterte was forced to cut short his four-day official trip here after terrorists from the Maute group attacked parts of Marawi and held hostage several civilians. 

He was supposed to stay here until May 26 but left for the Philippines two days earlier. 

Despite Duterte’s decision, the signing of several cooperation agreements, including those on security and trade, pushed through to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Duterte and Putin cited the importance of sustaining efforts to shape a security architecture in the Asia Pacific region that is “open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based in accordance with international law, including the principle of equality.”

They also vowed to foster cooperation within the framework of the East Asia Summit, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum and other relevant fora to promote multilateral approaches for safeguarding security, enhancing growth and promoting sustainable development in Asia Pacific.

“The heads of state (Duterte and Putin) agreed to further explore cooperation and liberalization of trade as well as foster a favorable climate for an increase in investment flows between the Eurasian Economic Union and ASEAN in the interests of boosting sustainable and inclusive growth amongst the members of both regional groupings,” the joint statement read. 

Putin expressed support for the Philippines’ hosting of the ASEAN and lauded the country for promoting the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership.

The two leaders also emphasized their intention to work closely together to forge a strategic partnership in line with the decisions of the ASEAN-Russia Summit in Sochi last year.

They plan to do so by intensifying interaction in key areas like improving security architecture and cooperation in the region, fighting terror and transnational crimes, and developing trade and investments, science, technology, energy, agriculture, culture and other exchanges.

“The Heads of State agreed to further explore cooperation and liberalization of trade as well as foster a favorable climate for an increase in investment flows between the Eurasian Economic Union and ASEAN in the interests of boosting sustainable and inclusive growth amongst the members of both regional groupings,” Duterte and Putin said. 

The Parties also emphasized the prospects which can be created by multilateral communication and coordination to implement various regional and national frameworks and initiatives, including ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and Eurasian partnership based on the principles of equality, openness and transparency.

“The heads of state expressed their readiness to take further measures to expand and boost mutually beneficial inter-regional ties and realize the considerable potential for cooperation in this area,” Duterte and Putin said. 

While Duterte missed key events including the Philippines-Russia business forum, the two leaders said the visit was “an important event for promoting comprehensive bilateral cooperation as well as making progress in ensuring stability, security and sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region.”