Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Oct. 16 (VNA) -- Shortly after his successful trip to Japan early this month, Communist Party of Viet Nam General Secretary Nong Duc Manh has travelled to Russia and Belarus, two of Viet Nam's traditional friendly countries, to materialise the foreign policy of promoting multi-lateral relations.

In Kremlin, General Secretary Manh and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed their resolve to maintain strategic partnership between the two countries through equal and mutually-beneficial cooperation. The Russian leaders' red carpet welcome proved that Russia regards Viet Nam as an important partner its foreign policy towards Asia.

The Viet Nam-Russia cooperation in oil and gas industry, including the development of petrochemical projects, have helped Viet Nam and Russia earn millions of US dollars of profits annually for many years. This partnership, fruitfully effective even in the late 1980s and early 1990s when the two countries' bilateral ties were on the ebb, serves as the ground for the two sides to go ahead with stronger economic and trade cooperation, especially in the oil and gas and electric energy sectors.

Viet Nam has remained Russia's traditional and prospective economic partner. Currently, Russia is the eighth largest investor of Viet Nam, with a total investment valued at about 1.5 billion USD.

"We have just made an all-round analysis of our bilateral ties and reached consensus that everything is positive," Putin told reporters after his talks with Manh in Kremlin.

Leaving Russia, Manh visited Belarus, the second and last leg of his just-ended East Europe trip. The visit was praised by both sides as giving a new impetus to the Viet Nam-Belarus bonds in all political and economic areas.

In Minsk, the two countries' leaders expressed their commitment to sign as soon as possible a trade deal as well as other bilateral cooperation agreements between Viet Nam and Belarus to pave the way for broader economic relations in the near future.

Last year, the two-way trade value stood at 41 million USD, a remarkable increase since the two countries established their diplomatic ties ten years ago. Of the figure, more than 29 million USD was earned from Belarus's exports to Viet Nam.

The host also hoped to lure more investment capital from Viet Nam's business circle, particularly their involvement in joint ventures to produce goods for sales in Viet Nam, through its preferential investment policy.

During the visits, top leaders of Viet Nam, Russia and Belarus shared the view on a series of issues relating to external relations. Their similarity resulted from the need to establish an equal world order based on principles of democracy, international laws and the pivotal role of the United Nations.

Manh's successful trip to Russia and Belarus heralds a positive sign of development in the long-standing friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation between Viet Nam and its traditional friends and partners, thus making them more effective and qualitative in the interest of the three countries as well as for the sake of peace, security, cooperation and development in the region and throughout the world.