Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in exploring and using aerospace for peaceful purposes between Russia and Vietnam, according to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.

The document was signed in Hanoi on November 7, 2012 during Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Vietnam.

It will create organisational and legal grounds for forming and developing cooperation programmes in areas such as remote sensing, satellite positioning and communication, and space medicine and biology.

The agreement includes issues relating to the protection of intellectual property rights, information exchanges, the importer’s use of guaranteed products and technologies as well as procedures of disputes settlement, liabilities and damage compensation.

Under the agreement, the shipment of cargo for outer space cooperation will be tax-free.

The document is expected to pave the way for the implementation of a GLONASS satellite navigation system cooperation project between the two countries.-VNA