Russia open to discussions with ASEAN on aligning digital transactions

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Russian Ambassador to ASEAN Evgeny Zagaynov has stated that his country is open to discussions with partner nations in Southeast Asia to adapt digital transaction and economic systems. “This is something we are open to discussing with our partners in Southeast Asia, both bilaterally and with ASEAN as an organisation. This is an issue we propose to discuss with our partners,” Ambassador Zagaynov said in Jakarta on Wednesday. Meanwhile, ASEAN and Russia will need time to reach the trade target of 100 billion US dollars. “This is a very ambitious target, but it will certainly take time, especially considering the current geopolitical situation and the legal restrictions that have been imposed on Russia,” Zagaynov said. These obstacles take the form of illegitimate financial restrictions and unacceptable threats of secondary sanctions against partners. “We need to oppose these threats, and we need to find the right path together with our partners in this region,” he added. The restrictions directly affect Russia and its partner countries in ASEAN, as they hinder Russia’s efforts to contribute to the region’s development. “So, one of the tasks is to overcome these logistical problems, the financial aspects of our cooperation, and to work on alternative financial schemes to continue our bilateral cooperation,” he stated. Previously, on Tuesday (23/6), Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said that the use of national currencies in mutual trade between Indonesia and Russia aims, among other things, to reduce the risk of global fiscal pressures. By expanding payments in national currencies, bilateral cooperation can be expected to become stronger and increase.