Work at Boosting PH-Russia Economic Ties to Continue to Intensify

Left photo: Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta (right) with Mr. Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia (left). Right photo: With Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Policy Centre, President Emeritus of the European Council, and former Prime Minister of Belgium at the Gaidar Forum in Moscow on 16 July 2018. (Photos by S. Pamocol)

18 January 2018 MOSCOW — The commitment of Russia and the Philippines to boost their economic ties remains, and work towards this end will continue to intensify, according to Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos D. Sorreta.

Ambassador Sorreta made this observation after his meeting with Mr. Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, at the sidelines of the Gaidar Forum in Moscow on 16 January 2018.

“We agreed to continue intensifying our efforts at boosting our bilateral trade,” Ambassador Sorreta said, adding “we also agreed to continue our consultations and close coordination.”

Ambassador Sorreta said that there is great potential in terms of economic and commercial ties between the Philippines and Russia, including the export of Philippine products to Russia. He said that the Philippine Embassy, in coordination with various Philippine agencies, have been promoting Philippine products in Russia.

“We also have a framework for economic cooperation composed of a Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation and existing agreements. We are also looking at concluding other agreements that will strengthen this framework,” Ambassador Sorreta said.

While at the Gaidar Forum, Ambassador Sorreta also met with Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President Emeritus of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium after Mr. Rompuy gave a talk where he said that the current economic sanctions against Russia hurt both Russia and the European Union, and that he hopes a solution will be found soon. In their conversation, Ambassador Sorreta said that the Philippines does not support these unilateral sanctions and is intensifying its own economic engagement with Russia.

Information on the Gaidar Forum is available at http://en.gaidarforum.ru/.

For more information, visit www.moscowpe.dfa.gov.ph. END