Vietnam and Russia on November 12 issued a joint statement on the occasion of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s State visit to Vietnam, affirming their efforts to continue strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership.

During the one-day visit, President Putin held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Truong Tan Sang and met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

He laid wreaths at President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the Monument to Heroic Martyrs as well as attended the opening ceremony of the Russian Cultural Days in Vietnam.

At their talks, the two Presidents affirmed the sound upgrade of the Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership to a comprehensive level, which opens up new practical opportunities to foster mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

They highly valued the positive development of the two countries’ economic-trade cooperation and agreed to bring two-way trade to US$7 billion by 2015 and US$10 billion by 2020.

The two sides spoke highly of the progress of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. They expressed their determination to focus resources to successfully conclude the negotiations in order to reach a comprehensive agreement that equally benefits all parties.

Both sides stressed prioritising cooperation in nuclear power, especially the deployment of a joint project to build the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant No. 1.

To help Vietnam develop its nuclear energy, the Russian side affirmed to continue training Vietnamese experts, scientists and managers in the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The two sides affirmed to continue strengthening cooperation in oil and gas exploration and exploitation in Vietnam’s continental shelf in line with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They agreed to create necessary conditions for the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, and Gazprom Group and Zarubezhneft Company of Russia to expand oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in both countries.

Both sides acknowledged fine cooperation in the fields of military technique, science-technology, education-training, geology, people-to-people exchange, and cooperation between Vietnamese and Russian localities.

Concluding the talks, the two sides witnessed the signing of a series of important cooperation documents in various fields, including inter-governmental agreements on training Vietnamese citizens in Russia, the transfer of sentenced prisoners and defence cooperation.

They affirmed to continue enhancing coordination in the international arena and support each other at the United Nations and other multilateral forums.

The two sides affirmed close cooperation in dealing with global challenges such as climate change, state of emergency, natural disasters, sustainable water resource management, and food security.

Russia applauded Vietnam’s decision to join the UN’s peacekeeping operations and showed its willingness to support the country in the field.

The two sides acknowledged the increasing role of Asia-Pacific in international issues. President Sang highly valued the active and constructive role of Russia in the region while President Putin praised the growing prestige and position of Vietnam in the international arena.

The two sides affirmed support for the establishment of an open, inseparable, transparent, equal and cooperative security architecture in Asia-Pacific based on international law, non-alliance principle and regard to legal interests of all concerned countries.

They also reiterated support for the central role of ASEAN in the evolving regional architecture.

The two sides agreed that territorial disputes and other disputes in the Asia-Pacific region should be resolved by peaceful means, without the threat or the use of force on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS.

They were also unanimous in backing the implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early adoption of a more legally binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

The two leaders stressed the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. The Russian side affirmed to back and work together with Vietnam to ensure the success of the 25th APEC Summit held in the country in 2017.

Both sides affirmed their determination to further expand and deepen cooperation within the framework of regional multilateral organisations.

On this occasion, President Putin invited President Sang to visit Russia in an appropriate time. President Sang accepted the invitation. The visit’s specific time will be discussed through diplomatic channels.

Source: VNA