OREANDA-NEWS. April 06, 2010. The Russian National Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP Russia) and the Russian MFA Diplomatic Academy, with the backing of the Russian MFA, held a conference on the theme of “The Architecture of Security and Cooperation in the AP Region.”

The event, conducted by CSCAP Russia Chairman and President of the Unity for Russia Foundation Vyacheslav Nikonov, brought together Committee members, leading Russian Orientalists, international relations experts and journalists. Present were the ambassadors of Australia, Laos and Vietnam, and diplomats from other Asian-Pacific countries.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin spoke at the opening of the conference.

There was a keen discussion on the prospect of building a security and cooperation architecture and promoting the interests of Russia in the region in this context. The conference participants spoke in favor of Russia’s active role in regional affairs and the further buildup of the cooperation of our country with the Asian-Pacific states and within multilateral regional associations with a view to ensuring the national security of Russia, the modernization of the Russian economy and the socio-economic upliftment of Siberia and the Russian Far East.

The CSCAP is the “second track” of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). CSCAP Russia was formed in 1994. After the approval in June 2009 of its new chairman and renewal of its membership, the Committee stepped up its participation in the CSCAP and the coordination of the activities of a domestic expert community in the Asian-Pacific sector.