GYEONGJU /Republic of Korea/, October 30. /TASS/. Negotiations on the declaration of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit are not yet over, with consultations on a wide range of problems still underway, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin told TASS.
"The negotiating process is not yet over. Finals consultations, which always are the most difficult, continue. Solutions to a wide spectrum of problems are yet to be found," he said. "Viewpoints on a range of topics, including on such APEC priorities as trade and investments, not always coincide, and often differ dramatically."
According to Pankin, challenges facing the states in the global economy require collective action. "The fragmentation of markets and supply chains is fraught with losses if not stopped timely," he explained.
"The South Korean presidency’s work this year focuses on strengthening mutual ties in all senses - regional, infrastructural, interpersonal," the senior diplomat went on to say. "Special attention was focused on two problems: artificial intelligence and demographic changes. There have been 12 sectoral meetings and two sectoral dialogues on problems of trade, energy, digitalization, public health. The potential of creative industries, which already account for more than 4% of Russia’s GDP, has been analyzed for the first time."
