The article,posted on November 21, quoted Leonid Kalashnikov, First Deputy Chairmanof the Russia’s State Duma Committee for International Affairs and arepresentative of the Russia Communist Party at the State Duma, asstating that the time-honoured Vietnam-Russia relations are growing inall fields.
Leonid Kalashnikov cited Vietnam’senthusiastic preparation for joining the Customs Union of Russia,Kazakhstan and Belarus, the two countries’ organisation of variouscultural events and exchanges, and the maintenance of visits bycommunist party officials.
The paper quoted Chairmanof the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association Vladimir Buyanov as sayingthat the two countries’ relations constitute the strategiccomprehensive partnership and Russia always support developing ties withVietnam in all areas.
Meanwhile, Anton Stvetov fromthe Russia International Affairs Council, said along with China andIndia, Vietnam is defined in President V. Putin’s decrees issued in May2012 as a key partner of Russia.
However, he citedPutin’s words as saying that the two countries’ economic partnership hasyet to match their political relations. Russia’s trade with Vietnamaccounts for only 0.5 percent of its foreign trade while the countrycontributes only 1 percent of Vietnam’s trade revenue.
Ilya Usov, an independent expert, said the Vietnamese leader’s visitto Russia is significant for Russia and Vietnam since both are keen ongarnering more outside support.
AlexandreSokolovski, Director of the Vietnam Culture-Education Centre at the FarEastern Federal University, said General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’svisit is crucial for the continued expansion of Vietnam-Russiacooperation.
He said he believes that the Vietnam-Russia ties that stood the test of time will be growing further.
On November 22, the Euro Presse Image (EPI) news agency ran a storygiving positive comments on the Party chief’s visit to Russia andBelarus from November 23-28.
The Vietnamese leader’svisit would contribute to fostering and deepening bilateral partnershipin all areas, including politics, security, economics,science-technology, culture, education, tourism and aviation, said thearticle.
Particularly, the visit would pave the wayfor Vietnam to become the first partner to reach a free tradeagreement with the Customs Unions of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarusin 2015, it added.
On bilateral cooperation inenergy, the article noted that joint projects in oil and gas are beingeffectively implemented in both Vietnam and Russia , benefitingboth sides.
The two countries also agreed tocontinue collaboration in building and upgrading power plants inVietnam, including the construction of the first ever nuclear powerplant in Ninh Thuan, it said.-VNA