The second Asia-Pacific Forum, “Russia’s Chair of APEC and New Prospects of Russia’s Integration into the Asia-Pacific Region”, was held on 12-13 October 2012 in Moscow’s President Hotel, The event was organized by the Russian Council for International Affairs in conjunction with the Russian APEC Research Center and International Affairs magazine.
The Second Asia-Pacific Forum, “Russia’s Chair of APEC and New Prospects of Russia’s Integration into the Asia-Pacific Region”, was held on 12-13 October 2012 in Moscow’s President Hotel, The event was organized by the Russian Council for International Affairs in conjunction with the Russian APEC Research Center and International Affairs magazine.
The first forum took place in Moscow last year. Its findings and recommendations presented in the report Russia’s Interest in the Asia-Pacific Region: Security and Development evoked a great interest and were taken into account by Russia’s profile agencies in the preparation of materials for the 2012 APEC Summit in Vladivostok.
The second forum was aimed to serve as a venue for discussion of optimal ways to carry out the accords achieved at the 2012 APEC Summit.
The strategic goal was to identify the leverage for creating favorable conditions for Russia’s more active integration into the Asia-Pacific Region. The conclusions and recommendations will be included into the final report that may serve as the road map for Russia’s further integration into the APR. The forum was arranged in the format of plenary sessions and a series of thematic sections. Their work involved participation by 400 government officials, business executives, representatives of non-governmental organizations, scientists and experts engaged directly in the process of development of political and economic relations in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The forum opened with statements by RCIA President Igor Ivanov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Igor Morgulov and Chairman of the Board of directors, Soumma Group, Ziyavudin Magomedov. Reports were presented by Rector of the Far East Federal University (FEFU) Sergei Ivanets, Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Federal Agency Konstantin Kosachyov, Secretary General of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council Eduardo Pedrosa, Vice Perisident of the Russian Agricultural Sciences Academy Ivan Ushachyov, En+Group General Director Artem Volynets, and Director of the Pacific Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pyotr Baklanov.
Among the forum participants were heads of profile research centers (Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Foreign and Defense Policy Council, Moscow Carnegie Center), officials of the Federal Migration Service and Russian Hydro-Meteorological Center, and newsmen from the RIA Novosti Agency. Reports at the sections were presented by professors from the world’s leading universities, such as the University of Washington, Seoul University, Moscow Foreign Relations Institute, St. Petersburg University, FEFU, Gaja Mada University of Indonesia, Universities of Hokkaido and Hosei (Japan), officials and staff members of the Russian Rostechnologia and Rosatom Corporations, Russian World Foundation, Toyo Engineering, Oxfam and Deutsche Bank. The guest attendees included diplomats and members of the business community, which provided for informal exchanges of experience and opinions.
The second Asia-Pacific Forum is one of the few attempts to find an integrated approach to the eastward trend of Russian foreign policies by maintaining a dialogue between members of a wide range of organizations from Russia and other countries in the region. Some of the topical issues were discussed for the first time from the viewpoint of practical dimensions of Russia’s integration into the APR. This format of a meeting of top-class professionals is a rare occasion in today’s Russia. The key objective of the Forum was to discuss optimal ways to achieve the goals set at the APEC Summit in Vladivostok.
Second Asia-Pacific Forum in Moscow, October 12-13, 2012
