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Russia, Philippines to develop military cooperation, reject new blocs in Asia-Pacific

Xinhua, December 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Top diplomats of Russia and the Philippines said Monday that the two countries are ready to develop bilateral cooperation in the military sphere, but are against the idea of creating new military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region.

"As far as military alliances and military blocs are concerned, our position is that security issues in the Asia-Pacific region should be resolved on a non-bloc basis, on a universal basis," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a joint news conference with his Philippine counterpart, Perfecto Yasay.

He added that Russia wants all countries in the region to feel that there are agreements "reliably ensuring equal and undivided security for each of them."

Yasay said that the Philippines is working toward boosting its military cooperation with Russia.

"But the issue of military alliances was not discussed, as it is not a workable idea," he said.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is currently in Moscow to hold meetings with representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry, said Lavrov, adding that representatives of the Philippine Defense Ministry had visited a number of Russian military shows and got acquainted with newest Russian weapons. Endi