KAZAN, June 18 -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged Asean and Russia to strengthen cooperation in various strategic areas, while stressing that dialogue and diplomacy must continue to be the foundation in handling conflicts and geopolitical tensions.

In delivering his national statement during a plenary session of the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit, he said the platform is an important avenue in pursuing cooperation in an increasingly challenging and uncertain global environment.

Anwar also stressed the importance of forging closer cooperation in trade and investment, digital, science and technology, artificial intelligence (AI), energy, food security, the halal industry, and people-to-people exchanges to generate gre...