The successful aerospace flight of the “Union-37” spaceship with cosmonauts Pham Tuan and Victor Gorbatko aboard from July 23-31, 1980, became a historical event and the pride of the two nations’ people, said the State President.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet delivered the remark while hosting a reception in Hanoi on July 22 for Vietnam’s hero cosmonaut Pham Tuan and Russian hero spaceman Victor Gorbatko on the 30 th anniversary of the successful aerospace flight jointly performed by the two nations.

President Triet said the flight also made a glorious symbol for the 60-year-long traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and strategic partnership between Vietnam and the former Soviet Union and the current Russia Federation.

The image of Pham Tuan and Gorbatko in space is also a proud memory for the two cosmonauts themselves and has strengthened the Vietnamese people’s confidence in the everlasting solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, he said.

President Triet took this occasion to thank the people of the former Soviet Union and the current Russian Federation for their valuable support and assistance to the Vietnamese people during their past struggle for national independence and the cause of national construction and development at present.

The Vietnamese people wish that the Russian Federation would further develop and play a more important role in the region and the world, the State leader said.

Gorbatko recalled his memories about the joint training and flight on the “Union-37” spaceship with Pham Tuan 30 years ago as well as his earlier visits to Vietnam .

The friendship sentiments between the families of the two cosmonauts in particular and between the two countries’ peoples remain unchanged from 30 years ago, he said.

On behalf of the Russian cosmonauts’ federation, Gorbatko presented the President with a badge marking 50 years since astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in the world to make a flight into space./.