Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived on Thursday in the capital of Laos, where he will participate on October 11 at the East Asia Summit (EAS), RIA Novosti reports.
Vientiane has already begun to gather distinguished guests, as the annual series of leadership meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries began there on Tuesday and the events will conclude on Friday with the annual Summit meeting East Asian leadership; whose permanent participants include both ASEAN countries and several of its dialogue partners, including Russia, China and the United States.
In parallel with the Russian minister, the American Secretary of State will also visit Laos Antonio Blinkenwho will participate in ASEAN and EAC events in place of the US president. joe biden. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not report possible contacts with the American delegation.
In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted on October 2 that the minister had planned bilateral meetings with Asian colleagues, but did not specify with whom exactly.
The East Asia Summit is a forum for dialogue between leaders of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region on a wide range of strategic political and economic issues, including the tasks of strengthening the regional security architecture. Meetings of this format are held annually in conjunction with high-level ASEAN events. Since 2011, the leaders of the Russian Federation and the United States have also been invited to the forum of heads of state of East and Southeast Asia.
