50 years of Ukraine – Vietnam Friendship Association marked in Kiev

Moscow (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine hosted a get-together in Kiev capital on January 19 to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of the Ukraine – Vietnam Friendship Association.

The function was attended by the association’s Chairman A.V. Slapak – head of the advisory group to the Ukrainian Prime Minister, and Iu. I. Kovalev – First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade and head of the Ukrainian sub-committee of the Vietnam – Ukraine inter-governmental committee on economic – trade and scientific – technical cooperation.

In his speech, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tri highly valued the association’s great contributions to the two countries’ amity and cooperation over the past five decades.

The Soviet Union – Vietnam Friendship Association’s Ukraine chapter, which is now the Ukraine – Vietnam Friendship Association, was founded on January 19, 1966. The association since then has marshaled the Ukrainian people’s whole-hearted and effective support of Vietnam’s national protection struggles and post-war reconstruction, he noted.

In recent years, it has diversified activities to foster the traditional friendship and win-win cooperation between the nations in all realms, he said, wishing that the association will reap more achievements for the sake of the two nations.

At the get-together, Chairman Slapak reviewed the 50-year history of the association and highlighted the Ukrainian people’s sentiment towards their Vietnamese peers.

He added the association is planning several activities in 2016 to popularise the image of Vietnam and late President Ho Chi Minh in Ukraine so as to boost bilateral economic, trade and cultural relations.

Other Ukrainian participants also appreciated the association’s efforts and expressed their willingness to work with the association to reinforce the time-honoured friendship and all-round partnership between the two countries.-VNA