What Moscow seeks to achieve
Russia’s foreign minister defends his country’s role in world affairs
Recent years have witnessed fundamental geopolitical shifts. The role of the Asia Pacific region is rising. It is rapidly becoming an influential player in an increasingly multipolar world. In our current environmental of global economic uncertainty, Asia Pacific states, despite slightly slowing rates of growth, will continue to drive global progress. The region is a vital centre of economic development and growing political influence. It is also a place where more international co-operation is urgently needed.
Russi a is working to strengthen its presence here. For us this is a matter of principle. As we continue the social and economic development of Siberia and our Far Eastern holdings, it is only appropriate that we do our part to ensure the peaceful development to the region. We are committed to the stability, security and prosperity of the Asia Pacific, and are working toward developing regional bilateral and multilateral ties to support this agenda. Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation, has personally signalled his commitment to these efforts.
Russia’s policy in the Asia Pacific is deliberate and focused, aimed at a stable balance of power and the development of truly regional agenda. We are of course already benefiting from our time-tested friendships with China, India and Vietnam. We are also pleased that our regional relationships with ASEAN states, as well as the U.S., Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, are also developing on a strong and mutually beneficial basis. We are also working to deepen our ties with the region’s many multilateral forums.
Russia’s goals for the Asia Pacific region are plain. We seek to promote multilateral trade, economic and investment co-operation, eliminate existing multi-dimensional security challenges and prevent the emergence of new threats. The foreign ministers of East Asia Summit member-states, at their last meeting, decided to launch multilateral consultations on regional security. Russia is pleased to see such progress being made, and wishes to build upon this success. Russia also welcomes steps toward improving co-operation between re gional police forces and the co-ordination of national-level responses to natural and environmental catastrophes. We are pleased to do our part in protecting life and property throughout the region.
In order to achieve these goals, we aim to promote and strengthen economic inte- gration, primarily through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. In 2012 Russia presided over the APEC forum for the first time. Along with traditional focus on advancing trade, investment liberalization and regional economic integration, we highlighted issues of ensuring food security, improving production and supply chains and encouraging innovative growth in the region. We also promoted co-operation in energy, health care, the fight against terrorism and corruption as well as emergency preparedness. We consider it important that these agreements should harmonize with the World Trade Organization’s principles and be as open as possible for all.
This is the approach Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, as member states of the Customs Union, are committed to. By now, we have made significant progress in establishing a powerful regional development centre — the Single Economic Space — aiming at creating the Eurasian Economic Union by Jan. 1, 2015, thus forging a link between Europe and the Asia Pacific. We believe that interaction between the Customs Union and APEC could serve our common interests.
Issues of energy security in the Asia Pacific deserve special attention. APEC is already a forum for discussions about sustainable and “green” forms of energy — which are no doubt important. At the same time, we must also improve regulatory measures in the energy sector, ensuring transparent and predictable supplies of energy and raw materials. It is necessary to diversify energy balances of regional economies, including through the development clean natural gas and atomic energy sources. APEC can and should lead these discussions.
In order to ensure innovative development, we are committed to actively participate in coordinating measures to facilitate cross-border movements of students, researchers and education services providers. We are also interested in discussing opportunities for regional tourist exchanges. This year Russia became a full member of the successful APEC Business Travel Card system, specifically set up to facilitate visa procedures. We believe that this will intensify contacts between entrepreneurs and business leaders, thus expanding trade and Russia’s economic cooperation with other APEC member-economies.
In short, Russia proposes a transparent policy and economic agenda for the region. Our goal is equal cooperation of all countries, with no exception, in order to strengthen peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region.