Socialist Republic of Vietnam

General Secretary Le Kha Phieu of the Communist Party of Vietnam assured Russian President Vladimir Putin of Vietnam's determination to attach importance to consolidating and developing its traditional friendship and co-operation with Russia.

The assurance was made during Mr Phieu's meeting in Hanoi on the morning of March 2, with President V V Putin who is on an official visit to Vietnam from February 28 to March 2.

The Party leader said that in its foreign policy of independence, self-determination, openness, diversification and multilateralisation, Vietnam attaches importance to consolidating and developing its traditional friendship and co-operation with Russia.

He expressed profound thanks of the Vietnamese Party and people to the former Soviet Union and now Russia for their assistance to Vietnam's struggle for national liberation and unification as well as its present cause of national construction and defence.

He reaffirmed Vietnam's wishes to make the Vietnam-Russia co-operative ties fruitful forever for the interest of each country and for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress in the world.

He also expressed his firm belief in the stability and vigorous development of Russia and constantly-improved life of the Russian people, thus helping Russia promote its position and role in international relations.

The Party chief described the visit by President Putin, the first by a Russian head of state since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1950, as a historic event marking a new step of development in the friendly and co-operative relations between Vietnam and Russia.

President Putin thanked General Secretary Phieu and the Vietnamese people for their warm sentiments towards his delegation. He expressed his respect to President Ho Chi Minh and his delight to visit Vietnam for the first time.

The President briefed his host about the results of his talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Duc Luong. He praised Vietnam's achievements in the renovation process and in improving the people's living conditions and raising the country's position in the world arena.

President Putin affirmed that Russia considers Vietnam as a strategic partner and is determined to strengthen and bring to a new height the traditional friendship and multi-faceted co-operation between the two countries. He stressed that the two had great potential for development of equal and stable co-operation for mutual interests.

He wished the Vietnamese people more achievements in the construction of a prosperous and happy nation, and success to the upcoming ninth congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. (VNA)