简体中文
By APD writer Melo M. Acuña
MANILA, Oct 3 (APD)-- Positive developments are taking place in Russian-Philippine relations. This was how Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev described the existing bilateral relations.
Speaking before his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Moscow yesterday (Moscow time), Russia’s second top-ranking official said he and his government are interested in continuing the planned projects in transport, energy, agriculture and in a number of humanitarian undertakings.
He recalled having met President Duterte on the sidelines of the East Asia summits both in 2016 in Vientiane and in Manila in 2017. He added he looks forward to meeting him again during the East Asia Summit in Thailand.
He said it is not so cold in Moscow and tomorrow, President Duterte will head to Sochi where the weather’s warmer “and the temperature should justify our best relations and our relations between the two delegations.”
“I’m very glad again to welcome you here in Moscow. We call this building sometimes the “White House” but this is not the same White House as in that other country. It is
Russian house of government. It’s a little bit bigger that the White House that we all know and better,” he said.
President Duterte said during his first visit to Russia, both sides succeeded in setting the foundation for closer bilateral cooperation.
“Since then, we have seen the remarkable progress in our engagement including such strategic areas as defense and security,” he said.
He described the port call of BRP Tarlac in Vladivostok last year, the first ever by a Philippine navy ship as a “historic milestone” in the Russian-Philippines relations.
“We are intent in sustaining this momentum. I am confident we’ll succeed as I see strong commitment and will from both sides to bring our relation to an even greater level,” he said. He added his visit is another opportunity to discuss and open more avenues for cooperation.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)