... “bilateral joint working mechanisms”. At the same time, it aims to “enhance” the role of multilateral cooperation mechanisms, notably the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus China (10+1), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and even those aligned with the (Japan-dominated) Asian Development Bank, such as the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Economic Cooperation and the Central Asia Regional Economic ...
In 2017 Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) starts a series of events titled “Asian Dialogue” devoted to bilateral and multilateral cooperation of the Asia Pacific states, security problems and a number of the other topics of the regional agenda.
The series of meetings started by a discussion with a Japanese expert Mr. Michito Tsuruoka, Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) of the Ministry of Defense of Japan, Non-Resident Research Fellow...
Most foreign policy forecasts open with statements about the uncertainty of the international situation. This is a convenient starting point, as it allows the analyst to hide behind and avoid taking responsibility for his or her forecasts. But if we really want to get an idea about what might await us in the future, we have to understand the “corridors of certainty”, which are visible for 2017. They are far from rosy and speak about the necessity to develop fundamentally new solutions to the accumulated...
On December 6 Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, had a meeting with Lim Kheng Hua, Head of Singapore Diplomatic Mission, and Seah Seow Chen, Deputy Ambassador.
During the meeting the following issues were discussed: the current state and development trends of the trade, economic, and financial relations in the Asia Pacific region including the opportunities for free-trade zone formation between Singapore and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Another topic on the agenda was the upcoming 50th anniversary...
On December 5 the Embassy of New Zealand to Russia hosted a meeting for Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, Alexander Gabuyev, RIAC expert, head of the “Russia in Asia–Pacific” program of the Carnegie Moscow Center, and other Russian experts with Jeff Langley, Deputy Minister for Europe, Middle East and Africa Affairs and Jocelyn Woodley, Senior Adviser on European issues to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The pending issues of Russian policy trends in Asia Pacific...
... Director General Andrey Kortunov met with Australian Ambassador to Russia Peter Tesch and Head of the Political Section of the Embassy Ted Burgell.
The participants of the meeting discussed bilateral Russian-Australian relations, security issues in the Asia-Pacific, and prospects for cooperation between the two countries in solving problems of global governance (ensuring global food supply security, above all).
In spite of constant assertions by officials that Russia is a Eurasian power, recent years have seen growing references to Russia's pivot towards the East and commitment to interaction priority with Asia. Often the sharp turn towards the Asia-Pacific Region is mentioned in the context of Russia's deteriorating relations with Western countries, which make it necessary to compensate for the losses caused by geopolitical confrontation and sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014.
Yet this ...
On July 18, 2016, RIAC Director General Andrey Kortunov met with RoK Ambassador in Moscow Park Ro-byug to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to Russia’s policy in Asia-Pacific, among them:
— Historical, economic and strategic significance of the fastest developing territories and Russia’s New Eastern Policy (Pivot to Asia).
— Steps to be taken by Moscow to bring into balance future cooperation ...
... region is the East and South China Seas, the two countries are essential as the strategic rearguards of security and thus prosperity in Asia.
For Australian foreign policy, there is even a clearer interest in Russia. As the Cold War drew to a close, the Asia-Pacific has essentially become a region of U.S. maritime dominance — a situation Australia was totally comfortable with, given the elaborate security alignment the United States and Australia have. But then China started to rise and demonstrate ...
A Legal Imbroglio in the South China Sea
A more concise version of this article was published as a CCTV Panview Oped.
The rhetorical war between the China and the United States over the South China Sea dispute is increasing in tempo and magnitude by the week. The US is wasting no time, resource and effort in sponsoring seminars, talks and think tank confabs to drive a wedge between China and other claimant nations in the region. Ambitious young ASEAN scholars and diplomats, anxious to boost...
