Moscow, Aug 16 (IANS): Moscow will continue to boost military cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said.

Pointing to the "increase in Western states' military presence in Asia, Africa and Latin America with the US continuing to improve its military bases", Shoigu said at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security that "we will continue to strengthen military cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region ... with which we have historically established particularly privileged relations".

The Russian defence minister noted that the emergence of a multipolar world order, mechanisms for boosting cooperation between defence agencies, and the role of these agencies in assessing security threats have regularly been discussed within the framework of the security conference, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The West, fearing a breakdown of the unipolar world and an open confrontation with a militarily strong adversary, is provoking local conflicts around the world," he said.

He said that Western policies were "aimed at weakening competitors to gain full control over existing resources and prevent any consolidation among those that try to oppose this process".

The 11th Moscow Conference on International Security has brought together experts, defence officials, and diplomats from around the world to discuss regional and global security issues.