Foreign and Trade Ministers met in Vladivostok on Tuesday in Russia’s Far East, ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Saturday. At the two-day meeting, the key discussion topics include removing trade barriers, strengthening regional integration, ensuring food security, and upgrading the bloc’s transport infrastructure. On speaking at the meeting, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that cooperation between countries in the Asia-Pacific plays a crucial role in the development of Russia’s Siberia and the Far East.

Economic analysts have predicted that the global economic recovery will begin in the Asia-Pacific region. Fresh prospects and new markets have been opened as Russia is hosting the 2012 APEC summit and has joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). Economists said this will help Moscow to discuss economic integration in the region and sign the Free Trade Agreements with Asia-Pacific countries.