Brunei–Russia relations

Brunei–Russia relations

Brunei	Russia

Brunei–Russia relations (Russian: Российско-брунейские отношения) is the relationship between the two countries, Brunei and Russia. Brunei maintains an embassy in Moscow, whilst Russia's ambassador to Malaysia is accredited to Brunei as a non-resident ambassador.

Background of Soviet era relations

In 1987, Mikhail Gorbachev called for the establishment of diplomatic relations with Brunei. Although the Soviet ambassador to Singapore attempted to establish said relations with Brunei in 1988, the Sultanate was unprepared to establish relations with the Communist state at the time. On 1 October 1991, Brunei established relations with the Soviet Union.

Post Soviet relations

File:Vladimir Putin with Hassanal Bolkiah-1.jpg

President Vladimir Putin with Hassanal Bolkiah in Bandar Seri Begawan in 2000.

In 2000 President Vladimir Putin arrived in Brunei for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit met with the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, in the Nurul Iman Palace.

On 10 June 2005, the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, made the first official visit to Russia by a head of state of Brunei. According to Gennady Chufrin, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the visit marked a serious step towards the establishment of bilateral relations.

On 1 December 2008, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed an order to establish a Russian embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. Andrei Nesterenko, the spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the establishment of a Russian embassy in the Brunei capital would help to intensify issues surrounding the Brunei–Russia relationship.