Russia and Myanmar are to develop strategic cooperation, particularly in the oil sector, said Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov during his meeting with visiting Myanmar's Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Maung Aye in Moscow on Monday.

"We have rubber, gas and oil. We have a lot of prospects for cooperation in this field," Fradkov was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying, "Russia seeks to expand its participation in the Asia-Pacific region. Thus, Russian-Myanmar relations have good and promising prospects."

Russia and Myanmar signed agreements on cooperation in the oil sector, the fight against drug trafficking and the protection of secret information, Fradkov said.

Russia's oil company Zarubezhneft and the Myanmar Energy Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding. While Maung Aye called on Russian entrepreneurs to invest in Myanmar's economy.

Maung Aye stressed that the two countries are "to deepen friendly relations between our governments, the peoples and the armed forces."

Fradkov said Russia is ready to expand cooperation with Myanmar in all fields and Russia considers its relations with Myanmar "a priority of its foreign economic policy" in Southeast Asia. "We want and we're ready to expand cooperation with Myanmar in all directions."

In addition, the Russian Federal Service for Drug Controlling and Psychotropic Substances Circulation and the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control concluded a document on cooperation in the fight against illicit drug trafficking, psychotropic substances and precursors. The two sides also agreed to develop interaction in the protection of secret information.

Maung Aye is paying an official visit to Russia.

Source: Xinhua