PHL Embassy Concludes Successful Chairmanship of the ASEAN Moscow Committee
Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta (background, left) presides over the ASEAN Moscow Committee on 13 December 2017 at the Embassy of the Philippines.
18 December 2017 MOSCOW – Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos D. Sorreta convened the second and last meeting of the ASEAN Moscow Committee (AMC) under the Chairmanship of the Embassy of the Philippines on December 13.
Ambassador Sorreta reported on the activities of the AMC in the past months, which included the historic AMC Lunch with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, hosting of the ASEAN Day Reception, launch of the ASEAN-Russia Essay Writing Competition, and briefing for the Russian press on the accomplishments of ASEAN@50.
The AMC also discussed new initiatives, such as establishing linkages between ASEAN and Russian young diplomats.
“We are glad to have meaningfully contributed in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. The Philippine Embassy is particularly honored to have been given the opportunity to organize and host Foreign Minister Lavrov in a luncheon last September, where we had substantive discussions on important regional and international issues. At the same time, we were able to showcase the wealth of Southeast Asian culinary traditions to our Russian friends in said event,” Amb. Sorreta noted.
He further stated that “through our commemorative activities, we aimed to raise the profile of the grouping with the Russian public and strengthen dialogue links between ASEAN and Russia. We thank our colleagues from other ASEAN embassies for the support and cooperation.”
Speaking on behalf of the rest of the ASEAN Ambassadors, H.E. Haini Hashim, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam, congratulated and expressed appreciation to the Philippines for the successful Chairmanship.
The meeting concluded with the turn-over by Amb. Sorreta of the AMC Chairmanship to H.E. U Ko Ko Shein, Ambassador of Myanmar to the Russian Federation.
This was immediately followed by a luncheon. The ASEAN Ambassadors were treated to sumptuous Filipino dishes of sinigang na hipon, lumpiang sariwa, and chicken adobo.
The Embassy of the Philippines assumed the rotating Chairmanship of the AMC from the Embassy of Malaysia in April 2017.
ASEAN Committees are established in certain countries, particularly those with a dialogue relationship with ASEAN, to safeguard and advance ASEAN interests through joint consultations with the host government. An ASEAN Committee is the outpost of ASEAN in the capital of the host country. END
For more information, visit www.moscowpe.dfa.gov.ph.
Amb. U Ko Ko Shein of Myanmar accepts the ASEAN-Russia matryoshka doll from Philippine Amb. Carlos D. Sorreta during turnover ceremony of the AMC Chairmanship at the Embassy of the Philippines on 13 December 2017.