MOSCOW. Jan 30 (Interfax) - The chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, has assessed relations between the Russian Defense Ministry and countries of the Asia-Pacific region as promising.
"In light of the changes in the military-political situation, we re-considered the priorities of the Russian Defense Ministry's international cooperation. Our country sees good prospects for the further development of contacts with Russia's traditional partners in the Asia-Pacific region," Gerasimov told the ministry's board on Friday.
The Russian ministry's priorities include further enhancing the collective security of Collective Security Treaty Organization member countries and bolstering cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Russian Defense Ministry will also take steps to further promote contacts with other members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) group.
"When broadening contacts between the General Staffs, we plan to prepare and hold the first large-scale talks with the Defense Ministries of Brazil, Vietnam, Cuba, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. A series of joint Navy and Air Force drills will be held. Exercises involving units of the Land Force and the Airborne Troops will also take place," Gerasimov said.
International military cooperation will be governed by the need to further increase global and regional security in accordance with the universally recognized principles and standards of international law, he said.