Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Touches Down In Malaysia For High-level ASEAN Meetings

By Nabilah Saleh

SUBANG JAYA, July 10 (Bernama) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived here today to attend high-level talks in conjunction with the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) here, hosted by Malaysia under its 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship.

Lavrov is leading the Russian delegation to the regional gathering, which is taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from July 8 to 11.

The delegation landed at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base at 8.27 am and was welcomed by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Special Functions Datuk Syed Mohamad Bakri Syed Abd Rahman and Russian Ambassador to Malaysia Naiyl M. Latypov.

Lavrov is scheduled to participate in the ASEAN-Russia Post-Ministerial Conference and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), alongside other key Dialogue Partners.

Lavrov is also expected to hold bilateral talks with several of his counterparts on the sidelines of the meetings.

Russia established relations with ASEAN in 1991 and became a full-fledged Dialogue Partner in 1996. 

In 2018, both sides elevated the relationship to a Strategic Partnership.

Meanwhile, the Turkish and Swiss Foreign Ministers, Hakan Fidan and Ignazio Daniele Giovanni Cassis, arrived early this morning to also attend high-level talks held in conjunction with the AMM. 

Both countries are ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partners.

The aircraft carrying Fidan landed at the Bunga Raya Complex at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 2.30 am,  while the aircraft carrying Cassis and his wife, Paola Rodoni Cassis, landed at 12.44 am.

Also arriving this morning was Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath, who landed at the Bunga Raya Complex at KLIA with his delegation at 6.31 am.

The 58th AMM and related meetings, which began on Tuesday, are being held under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025 with the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.

More than 1,500 delegates from ASEAN and its external partners are participating in 24 ministerial-level meetings over four days.

-- BERNAMA