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VLADIVOSTOK: It is not in Malaysia’s interest to side with the West and be against Russia as the country maintains good relations with all parties, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.

Anwar, who concluded his two-day working visit to Vladivostok yesterday, said Malaysia does not want to complicate the issue further.

“Our intention, our position is, of course, to find a resolution, not to take the side of the West against Russia. What benefit is there for us? Like the US vis-a-vis China, we maintain good relations with both.

"Why compel us to take sides? Well, they create these potential problems because it is a different system,"state-owned news agency Sputnik quoted him as saying in an interview with state media RIA Novosti, and RT.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum yesterday, Anwar said Malaysia does not support any military build-up to attack countries.

"Our position is for peace and, therefore, we do not support any sort of enhancement of defence and armaments to attack any country,"he said.