Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held an emotional meeting with Vietnamese students who had studied in the former Soviet Union or present-day Russia during his official visit to the country recently.

At Hanoi’s Cultural Friendship Palace on October 31, he listened carefully and gave forthright answers.

He said modestly that audiences and him were then “ordinary” people and most likely had some things in common.

He expressed happiness at the fact that many of the Vietnamese who had trained in Russia have become senior officials in state agencies.

A former international public relations graduate from Moscow, who now works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said he wanted to shake hands with Medvedev and his wish was duly granted.

The President promised to step up cultural exchanges between the two nations so that Vietnamese can enjoy popular Russian arts like ballet and classical music.

He also promised to set up a fund for translating Russian literature into Vietnamese in response to a former student’s request and a website to help Vietnamese students studying in Russia meet up with locals.

Medvedev was impressed with Vietnam’s beauty and its people’s hospitality and touched when some people gifted him photos of themselves with his old teachers.

“Your country is more beautiful and modern than the time I came for the first time nine years ago. I now see many motorbikes and cars on the streets instead of just bicycles. It gives me a strong sense of Vietnam’s vitality.”

The hour-long meeting was warm and emotional.

After the meeting, he told the media that the former students and he had interacted like friends.

Source: Tuoi Tre