Embassies of all 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrated the ASEAN Day at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow on October 6.

Addressing the event, Indonesian Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun, who is currently Chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Russia for a six-month tenure, affirmed the bloc’s major role in building and developing the peaceful and stable Southeast Asia region towards the formation of the ASEAN Community by year-end.

Indonesian Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun addressing the opening ceremony.

Alexandr Ivanov, Special Envoy for ASEAN of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, congratulated the group on its significant achievements recorded over the past 48 years.

He spoke highly of the Russia-ASEAN cooperation, hoping the relationship will thrive more in the future.

The ASEAN Day is held annually in Russia with the view of contributing to strengthening the bloc’s solidarity and increasing international friends’ understanding on ASEAN.

Russia is ASEAN’s eighth biggest economic partner with bilateral trade doubling in the last seven years to reach over 20 billion USD a year.

The 20th Russia-ASEAN Commemorative Summit will be held in Russia in 2016.

Source: VNA