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Authors: Paradorn Rangsimaporn, Counselor, Department of International Organizations, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The views expressed herein are the author's own personal
views and do not reflect that of the Royal Thai Government.
Ekaterina Koldunova, Associate Professor in the Asian and African Studies Department, Deputy Dean
of the School of Political Affairs and Senior Expert at the ASEAN Center, Moscow State Institute
(University) of International Relations
RUSSIA HAS COME a long way from being perceived
as the "sick man of Asia." Its initial turbulent post-Soviet
years under President Yeltsin gradually gave way to a
more confident, stable and assertive Russia under the
"Putin-Medvedev tandem."
This desire to be a great power and to be recognized as
such is an important factor in Russia's relations with
ASEAN. The countries of Southeast Asia and ASEAN
itself were marginal in Russia's foreign policy in the early
1990s. This started to change in 1996 when Yevgeny Pri-
makov became foreign minister and assigned greater importance to improving relations with
Asia wherein lay many power centres, including ASEAN.
Russia and ASEAN pursue a common agenda as far as the regional normative culture and the
principles of international interaction are concerned. Such issues as the respect for sovereignty
and non-interference in domestic affairs are equally important for Russia and ASEAN; the latter
formulated a set of normative principles known under the name the "ASEAN Way" which in-
cluded ASEAN key documents such as Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
DESPITE MANY SHORTCOMINGS, ASEAN-Russia relations seem set to expand and
deepen. ASEAN in general has grown less sceptical of Russia's role in the region, especially in
political and security terms, seeing it as a potential counterbalance to China.
Thailand's Deputy Prime Ministers on security and economic affairs visiting Russia this March,
and the Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha scheduled to pay an official visit to Rus-
sia this May before participating in the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit. As the two
countries will be celebrating 120 years of diplomatic relations in 2017, it seems likely that Thai-
Russian relations will deepen and expand and that Russia might have another champion in the
region for greater ASEAN-Russian engagement.
Russia and ASEAN have much in common and can achieve higher connectivity in all three
spheres that are equally important for ASEAN and Russia - politics and security, economy and
socio-cultural relations. Both parties understand that in order to build this connectivity Russia
and ASEAN need systemic actions. In this respect, the commemorative Summit in Sochi in May
2016 is both a landmark event and at the same time a new starting point for further work.
ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership: An Assessment of 20 Years
of Relations