Russia attentive to collaboration with Vietnam: official

Moscow (VNA) – Russia is interested in cooperation with Vietnam and the enhancement of the two nations’ friendship, according to a Russian official.

Yevgeny Primakov, head of Russia’s Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), made the statement in his opening speech at an international workshop, themed “Vietnam nowadays through Eurasian lens”, held on August 28.

The Rossotrudnichestvo organised the function on the occasion of the book "Vietnam takes off" by Grigory Trofimchuk published in the country, gathering about 40 journalists, experts, and scholars from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Vietnam.

Yevgeny Primakov noted projects such as the workshop and book introduction event will contribute to strengthening the bilateral friendship.

Units representing the Rossotrudnichestvo in Vietnam are willing to support business cooperation between companies from Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) with Vietnam and their Vietnamese peers, he affirmed.

At the workshop, participants discussed new approaches to expand humanitarian relations between EAEU member nations and Vietnam, the sides’ collaboration potential in science and technology, as well as their joint work in education, business connection, and information security.

Grigory Trofimchuk, who is Chairman of the Russia-based Expert Council of the Eurasian Foundation for Support of Scientific Research, considered Vietnam a pioneer in the Eurasian integration progress as it is the first nation to sign a free trade agreement with the EAEU and has helped the bloc spread its wings to Southeast Asia.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the event, he said that via the workshop, representatives of several EAEU countries have shown their interest in expanding ties with Vietnam in all directions and spheres.

He underscored a need to bolster Vietnam – Russia relations within the EAEU framework through the development of traffic and logistics infrastructure.

His nearly-200-page book, with many vivid illustrations of a modern and innovative Vietnam, was written after the author’s field trip to the Southeast Asian nation. The front page of the book states that it was published on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty on fundamental principles of friendship between Vietnam and Russia, and the 70th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties./.