EAS to consider Russian participation in future

India and 15 other countries, which took part in the first-ever East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, on Wednesday unanimously decided to consider the participation of Russia in future meetings based on the criteria established by the ASEAN regional grouping.

"We reiterated our agreement that the EAS should remain open and outward looking, with ASEAN as the driving force working in partnership with the other participants of the East Asia Summit," the Chairman's statement issued at the conclusion of the EAS said.

In this context, the EAS welcomed Russia's interest to take part in the EAS and agreed to consider its participation in future summits, the statement said.

The members also agreed that EAS would continue to be a leaders-led summit for strategic discussions on key issues affecting the region and the evolving regional architecture.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's suggestion on the need to set up some form of mechanism to follow up action of the EAS and to coordinate and implement the areas of cooperation identified by the members was taken note of in the Chairman's statement and agreed by all.

The statement further said that the EAS along with the ASEAN+3 (10 nations of ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea) and the ASEAN+1 (ASEAN 10 and the dialogue partner) processes could "play a significant role in community building in the region."