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September 12, 1997

Recognizing the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation existing between the Philippines and the Russian Federation;

Conscious of the deep and positive changes in the state of national and international affairs and the need to adapt to a new multi-polar world;

Deeply convinced that the strengthening of friendly and equal relations between their two countries would contribute to international peace, security and stability and an atmosphere of understanding, trust and mutually beneficial cooperation among all countries;

Guided by the universally accepted principles of sovereignty, equality and independence of States, as embodied in the UN Charter;

Recognizing their mutual desire to improve bilateral relations;

The Republic of the Philippines and the Russian Federation agree to:

(1) Undertake necessary steps to strengthen and improve bilateral relations and to bring them in line with new political, economic and social realities in both countries and in the international arena;

(2) Broaden and deepen their regular dialogue at various levels and through various channels on major issues of their bilateral relations and on international problems, and create to this end, as necessary, appropriate mechanisms;

(3) Promote contacts and interaction between their executive branches, including holding regular political consultations between their Ministries of Foreign Affairs on the basis of the Protocol of March 24, 1988;

(4) Intensify inter-parliamentary relations as well as exchange between public organizations, and promote diversified contacts at the local level, twinning relations between regions, direct contacts between enterprises and organizations as well as contacts among people;

(5) Facilitate, in every possible way, the development of their trade, economic, scientific and technical relations by creating for this purpose favourable legal, institutional, financial and economic conditions, negotiating agreements and adopting effective measures to promote business and other economic activities including the promotion and protection of investments in accordance with national legislation, obligations under the UN Charter and rules of international law and justice;

(6) Develop cooperation in the fields of education, culture, literature, fine arts, mass media, health, social security, law, environment protection, tourism, physical fitness and sports and in other areas;

(7) Work towards a just and stable international order, where relations of all countries are conducted on the basis of mutual respect and equality through dialogue, cooperation and peaceful settlement of disputes;

(8) Interact in a constructive manner at the international level to help assure world peace and security; enhance multilateral security dialogues and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific; support efforts to promote confidence- building and security measures, arms and arms trade control, and strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and control over missile technologies; cooperate towards the success of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on security problems;

(10) Cooperate and coordinate efforts to combat organized crime, international terrorism, including unlawful acts directed against the security of civil aviation and sea navigation, smuggling of arms and objects of cultural and historical value, illegal drug trafficking and trafficking in humans, particularly women and children;

(11) Promote the effectiveness of international efforts to improve the world environmental situation, taking into account applicable rules of international law in this area;

(12) Support efforts to expand cooperation within the UN as a world forum to promote its effectiveness and adapt it to new world realities and contribute in every possible way to strengthening the role and potential of the UN in resolving global problems, forming a new legal world order, and developing cooperation among all states in the political, economic, social, scientific, technical, environmental, humanitarian and other spheres;

(13) Deepen their bilateral and multilateral trade relations and support efforts toward integration within the existing international economic order on the basis of equality and non-discrimination;

(14) Ensure the respect for human rights, and the observance of due process in the conduct of legal proceedings, in accordance with international obligations and bilateral arrangements;

(15) Promote the development of the dialogue between Russia and Association of the South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Republic of the Philippines and the Russian Federation shall conclude, as appropriate, related agreements in order to comply with the provisions of the present Declaration.

Moscow, 12 September 1997