Vietnamese, Russian Presidents hold talks

They have committed to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership.
State President Truong Tan Sang and Russian President Vladimir Putin committed to strengthening the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership during their talks in Moscow on May 9.

President Sang thanked the host for his invitation to attend the 70 th commemorative anniversary of the Russian victory in the Great Patriotic War, which he said motivated and laid the groundwork for independence struggles across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction with all-level visits to foster mutual political trust between the two nations and agreed to maintain the current mechanism.

Economically, they concurred that the signing of a free trade area agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Community later this May will support the goal of lifting Vietnam-Russia trade to 10 billion USD by 2020.

Speaking highly of oil-and-gas companies and joint-ventures working in Vietnam’s continental shelf and in Russia, the leaders vowed all possible support for them as well as for new investors in petrochemicals and refineries.

Links across investment, finance-banking, industry, agriculture and mining are also expected to progress substantially.

Both host and guest agreed to deepen joint national defence-security collaboration with initial focuses on personnel and technical training.

They called for intensified engagements in strengths, including considering opening an aquaculture, seafood and processing joint-venture in Primorye region and a light industry zone in Moscow province.

The guest thanked President Putin and Russian authorities for their support to overseas Vietnamese nationals in the country.

Meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi the same day, President Sang spoke of the need to boost economic-trade-investment coordination by facilitating business visits and establishing a Business Council.

He reminded his Egyptian counterpart of the upcoming fifth meeting of the Vietnam-Egypt Joint Committee which is due to sign several cooperative deals.

In the morning the same day, State President Sang and his spouse, together with other distinguished guests, watched the Victory Day parade, the largest in Russian history, through the Red Square.

They also observed one minute of silence in memory of Russian soldiers and allies killed in the war.

In the evening, the Vietnamese leader met with Vietnamese embassy staff and asked them to perpetuate their role as a bridge between the two nations.-VNA

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