OREANDA-NEWS. July 20, 2009. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, will be participating in the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) events in Phuket, Thailand – a regular Russia-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and the 16th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) session from July 22-23.

As well as exchanging views on topical global and regional problems, the Russian and ASEAN foreign ministers will discuss a broad spectrum of issues in the Russia-ASEAN dialogue partnership and map out ways to develop it further. Special attention will be paid to preparing and ensuring that the second Russia-ASEAN summit is solidly filled with substantive content.

As part of the 16th ARF session, the ministers are due to assess the past year’s activities, to exchange views on the topical issues of the international and regional agenda and to approve plans of work for the period ahead. They are also expected to adopt an ARF Vision Statement reaffirming its commitment to further strengthen the ARF as one of the pillars of an emerging regional security architecture and setting forth the main areas and concrete forms of further work for peace, stability, friendship and prosperity in the AP region.

Sergey Lavrov will also hold a number of bilateral meetings with heads of foreign affairs agencies from Asia-Pacific states.