12 August 2015 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario held bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting-Post Ministerial Conference on August 06 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At the meeting, Secretary del Rosario and FM Lavrov agreed to facilitate the conclusion of several pending agreements between the Philippines and Russia, including the establishment of an intergovernmental commission on trade, defense and military technical cooperation, and combating transnational crimes.
Secretary del Rosario informed FM Lavrov that the Philippines would be hosting the next round of political consultations between their respective foreign ministries next year.
He likewise conveyed his appreciation to Russia for the conclusion of a new Air Services Agreement (ASA) in July that would pave the way for increased air traffic and tourist flows between the two countries. In turn, FM Lavrov assured the Secretary that the Russian Foreign Ministry would assist in the ASA’s implementation and technical aspects.
As part of the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Russia in 2016, FM Lavrov proposed the publication of materials, among other things, to highlight the event.
The bilateral meeting between Secretary del Rosario and FM Lavrov was their second in three years. It paves the way for the much anticipated and historic visit of President Putin to the Philippines to take part in AELM Summit in November. END