Russia accents Korea’s participation in Far East development projects

Ambassador Alexander A. Timonin of the Russian Federation hosted a reception at the Grand Hall of the Embassy of Russia in Seoul on June 11, 2015 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Declaration of the State Sovereignty of Russia” with the attendance of many distinguished guests from Korean society as well as the Seoul Diplomatic Corps and the international community, Minister of Unification Hong Yong-pyo.

Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Timonin said that large-scale joint investment projects are being developed in the Far East and other regions of Russia. Then he said, “Our country is interested in further close cooperation with the Republic of Korea in supporting peace and developing cooperation in the North-East Asia, in searching ways for early resumption of the six-party talks on resolving the nuclear problem of the Korean Peninsula.” Further details of his speech follow:

Twenty-five years ago, on June, 12, the “Declaration of State Sovereignty of Russia” was proclaimed, marking the beginning of the new period in the life of our country.

In the past years Russia as the successor of the USSR preserved its legitimate place in the ranks of the leading world powers, achieved the increase of effectiveness and competitiveness of its economy, and on this basis entered the group of the ten largest economies of the world. At present Russia is politically, socially and economically stable country, which is capable to defend itself and its allies with the help of high-end armed forces, which consistently pursues the peaceful foreign policy, aiming at forming the just multipolar world with the supremacy of international law.

At present the balanced policy of Russia becomes more and more in demand globally and attracts partners in the different parts of the world. The celebrations on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, in which the leaders and delegations of almost forty countries and international organizations took part, obviously demonstrated that. We are open to combine efforts with all those who in their turn are ready to cooperate with Russia at the principles of equal rights and mutual respect.

At the Euro-Atlantic direction our immediate task is to overcome the Ukrainian crisis. The realistic way of peaceful settlement lies through the full and consecutive realization of Minsk Agreements of February 12, 2015, which have been secured by the resolution of the Security Council of the UN and have the nature of international law.

One of the main national priorities of Russia for the whole XXI century shall be the dynamic development of our eastern territories. That makes us interested in broad and active involvement into the international processes in the Asia-Pacific region, using its potential for economic growth of Siberia and the Far East.

In this regard, Russia plans to continue active interaction with our partners within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a highly prospective organization of BRICS countries and a number of other international structures. We consistently advocate for creating the reliable mechanisms of providing for security, based on the non-block approaches, in the Asia-Pacific Region. The initiative on working out the framework principles of the new regional security architecture, promoted by our country and by China, aims at achieving this goal.

I would like to specially emphasize that in the year of the 25th Anniversary of the New Russia, we shall celebrate on September, 30 the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea, which in the past years have become one of our leading partners in the Asia-Pacific region. It’s worth to point out, that in a comparatively short period Russia and the Republic of Korea achieved the impressive success at all the directions of cooperation. The active political dialogue at the top and high level is under way. The official visit to Seoul of the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation H.E. S.E. Naryshkin in May, 2015, and the participation of the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Korea H.E. Yun San-hyun in the celebrations in Moscow on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory over the Fascist Germany prove that. With satisfaction we note the successful development of contacts between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of our countries, the extending cultural, humanitarian and youth ties, useful exchanges at the regional level. One should also point out the close cooperation between our countries at the UN and in other international organizations, aiming at the solution of the existing global problems and preserving peace and stability in different regions.

Despite the fact, that the international situation became more complicated and some Western countries introduced sanctions against Russia, the trade and economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea successfully progresses. The trade volume between Russia and Korea in 2014 was about 26 billion dollars. The large-scale joint investment projects in the Far East and other regions of Russia are being developed. Our country is interested in further close cooperation with the Republic of Korea in

supporting peace and developing cooperation in the North-East Asia, in searching the ways of the early resumption of the six-party talks on resolving the nuclear problem of the Korean Peninsula. At the same time Russia consistently adheres to the position that there is no alternative to the political and diplomatic settlement of the nuclear and other problems of the Korea Peninsula, but we advocate for the soonest resumption of the six-party talks on the nuclear problem of the Korean Peninsula at the principles fixed in the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005, and in the context of military and political d?tente in the North-East Asia.

I would like to propose a toast:

To further strengthening partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea, to friendship and mutual understanding between the people of our countries!

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