Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Feb.27 (VNA) -- President Tran Duc Luong has granted an interview to the National Radio and Television of the Russian Federation for the forthcoming visit to Viet Nam by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In reply to a question about the main topic of the coming high-level talks, President Luong said:

The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Russian Federation have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their bilateral relations. The Vietnamese people are glad to welcome President Putin, the highest leader of the Russian Federation, who is to pay his first visit to Viet Nam at the beginning of the new century and the new millennium. This visit will mark a new stage of multi-form cooperation between Viet Nam and Russia in keeping with the interests and aspiration of the people of both countries.

In the coming talks, the two sides will discuss and evaluate the situation and work out major orientations and measures to further develop the Viet Nam-Russia comprehensive cooperation in many domains in the first years of the 21st century, taking this relationship to a new high.

The Viet Nam-Russia cooperative relations have developed in many aspects,especially in those areas in which both sides have great potential. The two countries are effectively cooperating with each other in trade,oil and gas exploitation, electric energy, science and technology...We will also exchange views on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Asked what should be done to more vigorously develop bilateral cooperation, President Luong replied:

Together with the process of economic renovation in Viet Nam and economic reform in the Russian Federation over recent years, the economic-commercial relations between the two countries have made new progress. The two countries have established a joint governmental committee for economic-commercial and scientific-technological cooperation. A number of Russian-Viet Nam cooperation and investment projects in Viet Nam have attained an impressive scale and efficiency. However, two-way trade turnover in recent years was about USD 400 million a year, which is considered a low level and not commensurate with both sides' potential and aspiration.

The signing and implementation of the agreement on the settlement of debts and the agreement on cooperation between the two countries' localities signed in 2000 will contribute to improving the business environment and promote trade between Viet Nam and Russia.

In order to create a turning point in bilateral cooperation in this field, both sides will discuss and work out concrete measures aimed at perfecting the payment and credit mechanism for import-export businesses and removing the barrier which bars businesses in the two countries from entering the market of the other.

We believe that the promotion of economic-commercial ties to a level equal to the fine political relations between the two countries will create a vital material basis ensuring a long-term and sustainable development of the multi-form cooperation between the two countries.

Asked how he evaluates the Russian Federation's role in Viet Nam in particular and in the Asia-Pacific region in general, President Luong said:

During the past 50 years, the Viet Nam-Russia relations are those between traditional friends.

We note with pleasure that those relations have become better and better in keeping with the trust and expectation of the people of both countries. Russia has been, is and will be a powerful nation in the modern world. Russia is a Euro-Asian nation. Therefore, we always deem it a long-term strategic orientation of our foreign policy to consolidate and further strengthen our traditional friendly relations with the Russian Federation. We also note with joy that the Russian Federation's policy towards the Asia-Pacific region in general and Southeast Asia in particular is an active and more and more positive one. With its important role and position, the Russian Federation will have full conditions to bring into play its role in the region, thus contributing to the consolidation of peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

Asked what message he would like to send to the Russian people and the Vietnamese community in Russia as he himself once studied and worked in the former Soviet Union, President Luong said:

The Vietnamese people will never forget the heartfelt support rendered by the Russian people to Viet Nam during the hard years of the resistance war for national salvation and the early years of building socialism. Those sentiments will always be preserved as a precious spiritual property of the Vietnamese and Russian peoples.

For my part, I have always treasured my fine memories of a vast, beautiful, impressive and resources-rich Russia, of a glorious culture characteristic of Russia, of the sentiments of my comrades and colleagues during the years we lived, studied and worked together, and of kind and loyal Russians.

The Vietnamese community studying and living in the Russian Federation serves as a bridge for the friendship between our two countries. On behalf of the Vietnamese State, I would like to thank the Russian State and Government for their assistance and fine sentiments towards the Vietnamese community.

The Vietnamese State and Government hope that the Russian State and Government will create all favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living and working legally in the Russian Federation, thus contributing to consolidating the traditional friendship and multi-form cooperation between the two countries.

On this occasion, I would like to extend my best wishes to the great Russian people and the best regards of the Party and State of Viet Nam to the Vietnamese community living and working in the Russian Federation.

May the Viet Nam-Russia friendship be evergreen.--(VNA)