Anwar calls Russia ‘a great friend of Malaysia' in meeting with Putin
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim voiced hope for closer collaboration between the two nations during a meeting with president Vladimir Putin in Moscow. (Bernama pic)
MOSCOW : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has described Russia as 'a great friend of Malaysia' which is respected by Malaysians.
During a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Anwar expressed hope that the two countries would hold important meetings in the coming days, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
Anwar arrived in Moscow on Tuesday for an official visit.
Separately, Bernama reported that Malaysia and Russia are committed to further strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new areas of cooperation in various fields.
Anwar said the commitment was expressed when he met with Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin.
He said he had praised Mishustin for his efforts in implementing institutional reforms in Russia, an approach that aligned with the reform agenda in Malaysia.
'In this meeting, we expressed our commitment to continue strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new areas of cooperation in various strategic fields including trade, investment, higher education, health, energy, agriculture, tourism, as well as cultural and scientific exchanges,' he said.
Elaborating further, he said Malaysia appreciates the various cooperation mechanisms that have been established, including the JC-ESTC Joint Commission, which will reconvene in Langkawi later this year.
'In terms of trade, I expressed Malaysia's intention to double exports of high-value-added products to Russia such as medical devices, building materials and solar panels, as well as increase exports of key commodities such as cocoa and oil palm,' he said.
Anwar said Malaysia also welcomes foreign direct investment from Russia, especially in high-tech sectors such as aerospace, the digital economy, energy, and agrotechnology, in addition to encouraging joint research and development cooperation.
He said both sides discussed the resumption of direct flights by Aeroflot to Malaysia and measures to enhance connectivity and people-to-people exchange between the two countries.
After his four-day official visit to Moscow, Anwar will continue the second segment of a visit to Kazan, Tatarstan, on May 15.
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