On March 12, NEAR Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin met with Deputy Prime Minister Igor Zuraev of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, during the 2025 NEAR Members Workshop in Jeju, Korea. The two sides exchanged views on matters including the role of the NEAR Chair Government.
Secretary-General Lim expressed his pleasure at meeting Deputy Prime Minister Zuraev, noting that he has had numerous opportunities to engage with high-level officials of the Buryatia government, including Head of Republic Alexey Tsydenov, during previous NEAR events and the Eastern Economic Forum. He took the opportunity to provide a detailed explanation of the responsibilities of the NEAR Chair Government.
He also highlighted concerns regarding air transportation if Buryatia were to assume the chair government, particularly for participation in high-level working-level meetings and the General Assembly and requested special consideration on this matter.
Deputy Prime Minister Zuraev expressed appreciation for the invitation to the workshop and acknowledged the concerns raised, stating that the Buryatia government would consider possible solutions, including the potential operation of charter flights. He emphasized that Buryatia has extensive experience in hosting large-scale international events and expressed a strong commitment to successfully fulfilling the role of chair government. He also confirmed that the Head of Republic Alexey Tsydenov would personally attend the upcoming NEAR General Assembly in Liaoning Province.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Buryatia has officially submitted its application to the NEAR Secretariat to serve as the 16th NEAR Chair Government. The proposal is scheduled to be included as an agenda item for resolution at the 2025 General Assembly.