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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang met media after their talks. (Photo: Nguyen Khang/VNA) |
(VOVworld) - President Truong Tan Sang returned to Hanoi today concluding a successful 5-day trip to Russia to bolster the Vietnam – Russia strategic partnership. VOV reviews the trip.
Over the past
decade, relations between Vietnam
and Russia
have developed practically, in depth, and in a sustainable manner. Objective
conditions of the region and the world have been allowing both countries to set
up tight cooperation in all fields. This visit by President Truong Tan Sang to Russia took place
at the right time for the two to build a new development framework that will
bring bilateral ties to a new level.
The Presidents met
for the first time at President Putin’s residential palace in the coastal city
of Sochi. This
unprecedented event bespoke the trust and closeness the Russian President shares
with his Vietnamese counterpart, and exemplifies the foreign policy of the new Russian
presidential term which ranks Vietnam
as an important partner in the Asia – Pacific
region. President Putin said ‘The Vietnamese
and Russian people have long felt a strong sympathy for each other and this has
helped us develop our bilateral ties. Our relationship has developed in all
fields with two-way trade turnover reaching more than 3 billion USD last year.
We have cooperated in many projects that are essential for both of us’.
Economic and
trade relations are seen one of the most important components in the two
countries’ comprehensive relations. In an address to hundreds of Vietnamese and
Russian enterprises at a business forum, President Sang underscored the need
that both should outline breakthrough measures to match bilateral economic and
trade relations to the special political ties and potential of each nation.
Sang also said that the Vietnamese market always welcomes Russian investors
noting ‘The Vietnamese Government always
attaches importance to, encourages, and creates the best possible conditions
for Russian enterprises and entrepreneurs to do business in Vietnam in all
economic sectors, especially traditional areas including trade, oil and gas,
energy, mineral exploration, science and technology, education and training,
tourism, and labour. Vietnam
will facilitate favorable conditions for Russian groups and companies to choose
Vietnam
as a strategic destination in business expansion and economic cooperation’.
Along with Vietnam – Russia joint statement, seven other
agreements were signed during this visit. The two countries are determined to
raise two-way trade to 5 billion USD by 2015 and build a Centre of Nuclear
Science and Technology, the first nuclear power plant in Vietnam. Vietnam and Russia
pledged to focus on military training for Vietnam so that the country’s
servicemen can master military equipment. Both promised continued cooperation in
oil and gas exploration on Vietnam’s continental shelf pursuant to
international laws, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Regarding
international issues, the two leaders supported the establishment of an open,
equal, and public cooperation security structure on the basis of the legitimate
interests of the parties involved. They agreed that territorial disputes and
other disputes in the Asian-Pacific region should be resolved by peaceful means
without the use of force or the threat to use force, in accordance with
international law, particularly the UN Charter and the 1982 UNCLOS. They
supported the full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the East Sea and the completion of a proposed Code of Conduct in
the East Sea.
Anh Huyen