On 30 October 2014, the Royal Thai Embassy in Moscow, together with 9 Embassies of ASEAN Member States in Moscow co-hosted a reception commemorating the 47th Anniversary of ASEAN at Glav UpDK Cultural Center. Attended guests include dignitaries, representatives from various diplomatic corps, high-ranking Russian government officials, eminent businessmen, and other distinguished guests.

 

           In the opening remarks, His Excellency Mr. Haini Hj Hashim, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to the Russian Federation, as the incumbent chair of the ASEAN Moscow Committee, referred to the prospective setting up of the ASEAN Community by next year, consisting of 3 pillars, namely political-security, economic, and socio-cultural. Bearing in mind that the cordial neighborliness and sense of community among its peoples are essential to sustainable community-building, ASEAN stressed importance on the exchange of peoples and cultures so as to further strengthen the ASEAN unity among ASEAN citizens. ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Relations had also moved forward progressively on socio-cultural matters. The exchange of tourists and students were in steady increase. On this occasion, the Ambassador also congratulated the successful hosting of the 2nd ASEAN-Russia Youth Summit ion Kuala Lumpur.

 

           stressed the key role of ASEAN Centrality in the regional architecture as well as the importance of ASEAN in other socio-economic issues at regional and global level. She also opined that the move towards establishing an ASEAN Community by 2015, based on enhanced connectivity and unity, will further uplift the strategic role of ASEAN in those fields. The ASEAN-Russia relations are of great potential to strengthen such role.

In response, His Excellency Mr. Bakhtier M. Khakimov, Director of the Department of Asia-Pacific Cooperation, stated that Russia stood ready to expand her cooperation with ASEAN and reiterated support for ASEAN Centrality, as well as willingness to support the founding of ASEAN Community.