(VOVworld) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on Wednesday as part of his visit to Vietnam.

The two diplomats discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas as well as regional and global issues of mutual concern. They agreed on the advancement of the Vietnamese-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership with positive results in economic and trade cooperation, particularly in the strategic areas of oil and gas and atomic energy. However, they said that two-way trade should be accelerated through trade diversification and liberalization with the primary task to be the early signing of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
President Truong Tan Sang received the Russian Foreign Minister later the same day. President Sang praised the two countries' efforts to boost their comprehensive strategic partnership and to conclude the negotiation process for a FTA between Vietnam and the Customs Union, which will possibly be initialed later this year. 

The two Foreign Ministers agreed on a number of activities to celebrate the 65^th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2015, which will be a milestone in the traditional friendship between the two countries. They discussed issues of mutual concern and pledged to support one another at regional and global forums, particularly at the United Nations.

Following talks, the two Ministers signed a plan of cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries over the next 2 years. Deputy Prime Minister Minh spoke about the plan: “The purpose of this plan is to realize agreements reached during high-level visits between the two nations. Politically, more high-ranking visits will be held this year. Concerning economics and trade, both sides will work actively toward the signing of the Free Trade Agreement with the Customs Union. We will consider the signing of agreements to facilitate imports and exports between the two countries. We have discussed specific measures to implement this plan.”

For his part, Foreign Minister Lavrov said economic and trade promotion and people-to-people exchanges play an important role in boosting bilateral cooperation. He said that Russia supports the implementation of activities to mark 65 years of bilateral diplomatic ties. Russia praises Vietnam’s role in ASEAN and other regional and global linkages and asks Vietnam to continue to serve as a bridge linking Russia with ASEAN and other ASEAN-based regional institutions. He said: “Russia and Vietnam have a common viewpoint on many regional and global issues, particularly in cooperation at the UN. Russia supports Vietnam’s role in ASEAN and ASEAN’s role in establishing a new regional structure.”