Philippines, Russia Celebrate 45 Years of Relations, Discuss Achievements, Prospects of Bilateral Ties
Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary for Bilateral and ASEAN Affairs Elizabeth P. Buensuceso (left) and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov (right) lead discussions on the success of Philippines-Russia bilateral relationship during the 25 May 2021 Virtual Conference in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. (DFA-OEA photo)
PASAY CITY 27 MAY 2021 – In celebration of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Russia, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) and Russia’s MGIMO University organized a virtual conference on Philippines-Russia bilateral relations on 25 May 2021. The conference was co-chaired by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral and ASEAN Affairs Elizabeth P. Buensuceso and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.
In her remarks, Acting Undersecretary Buensuceso characterized the last five years in the bilateral relationship as a dramatic reinvigoration of bilateral partnership under President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and also highlighted the significant achievements of Philippines-Russia ties, including the increased exchange of high-level visits and the conclusion of more than 30 agreements in the fields of defense, security, trade, nuclear energy, higher education, agriculture, culture, and tourism.
“While bilateral ties with Russia have grown remarkably over the past few years, there is an enormous potential for further cooperation,” said Acting Undersecretary Buensuceso, with today’s challenges also providing opportunities for the Philippines and Russia to cooperate in such areas as vaccines, defense, outer space and nuclear energy.
She likewise thanked Russia for the arrival of 30,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccines to the Philippines, a concrete manifestation of the commitment of President Duterte and President Putin to cooperate against the COVID-19 pandemic. In his remarks, Russian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Morgulov concurred that vaccine cooperation is one of the prominent areas for cooperation between the two countries and expressed hope that larger batches of Sputnik V vaccines could be delivered in the next months.
Other speakers from the Philippines included Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Assistant Secretary Allan B. Gepty, Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and current District Representative Alan Peter Cayetano, and FSI Director General Jose Maria Cariño.
The Philippines and Russia established diplomatic relations on 02 June 1976. Both countries are commemorating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations with various activities in Manila and Moscow scheduled throughout the year. END