Manila, Philippines – A Russian legislative delegation visited Manila to advocate for the initiation of direct flight services between Russia and the Philippines. This move comes in the wake of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) held in Manila, where the delegation engaged with key Philippine legislative leaders.
According to Philippines News Agency, the head of the delegation and first deputy chair of the Russian Federation Council, the proposal received enthusiastic support during their discussions with House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri. Yatskin, in an interview at a hotel in Pasay City on Saturday, expressed optimism about leveraging support to restore direct air service between the two nations.
Yatskin cited the recent establishment of a direct flight from Moscow to Bangkok, which significantly boosted Russian tourist arrivals in Thailand. He suggested that similar connectivity could be beneficial for the Philippines, enhancing tourism and fostering closer ties with the Russian Federation. The delegation also expressed interest in broadening engagements with Filipino counterparts in various fields, including culture, education, and tourism. They emphasized the impact of the pandemic on economic relations between the two countries, particularly in the tourism sector, and expressed a desire for improvement in these bilateral relations.
In addition to discussing flight connectivity, Yatskin conveyed Russia's stance on 'shared and indivisible security' in the Asia-Pacific region during the APPF. He noted the absence of critical responses to this position from other delegates. The Russian delegation's successful participation in the APPF, which included the adoption of five resolutions initiated or co-sponsored by Russia, was also highlighted.
The delegation, comprising Senator Andrey Denisov and Sholban Kara-Ool, deputy chair of the State Duma, underscored the significance of the APPF and the positive outcomes of their visit, marking it as a step forward in Russia-Philippine’s relations.