ASEAN is best basis for discussing regional matters - Lavrov

JAKARTA, Indonesia. July 12 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office Wang Yi, and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi are conducting trilateral negotiations on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) events in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Opening the meeting, Marsudi said dealing with contemporary challenges requires more dialogue and more cooperation.

Lavrov described the ASEAN as the best basis for discussing regional matters and thanked his Indonesian counterpart for arranging Russia-Indonesia-China discussions.

Commenting on the meeting's outcomes, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the top diplomats "focused on ramping up trilateral cooperation in ensuring food and energy security in light of the current trend towards crisis on global markets."

"The parties reaffirmed their willingness to coordinate efforts in this area, including in the interests of enhancing the Global South's economic resilience based on respect by all countries for the principles of equality and mutual benefit in international economic ties," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The participants "had a constructive exchange of opinions on a number of relevant international and regional problems," it said.

"They discussed ways to bolster the security and cooperation architecture in the Asia-Pacific region, centered on ASEAN," it said.

Later on Wednesday, Lavrov will have bilateral meetings with Marsudi, as well as with Laotian Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn.

The Russian minister is expected to have more bilateral contacts on the sidelines of multilateral ASEAN events.

Lavrov's visit to Indonesia will continue until July 14.