President Truong Tan Sang and Russian President Vladimir Putin committed to strengthening the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership during their talks in Moscow on May 9.

President Sang thanked the host for his invitation to attend the 70 th commemorative anniversary of the Russian victory in the Great Patriotic War, which he said motivated and laid the groundwork for independence struggles across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Both sides expressed their satisfaction with all-level visits to foster mutual political trust between the two nations and agreed to maintain the current mechanism.

Economically, they concurred that the signing of a free trade area agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Community later this May will support the goal of lifting Vietnam-Russia trade to 10 billion USD by 2020.

Speaking highly of oil-and-gas companies and joint-ventures working in Vietnam’s continental shelf and in Russia, the leaders vowed all possible support for them as well as for new investors in petrochemicals and refineries.

Links across investment, finance-banking, industry, agriculture and mining are also expected to progress substantially.

Both host and guest agreed to deepen joint national defence-security collaboration with initial focuses on personnel and technical training.

They called for intensified engagements in strengths, including considering opening an aquaculture, seafood and processing joint-venture in Primorye region and a light industry zone in Moscow province.

The guest thanked President Putin and Russian authorities for their support to overseas Vietnamese nationals in the country.

Meeting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi the same day, President Sang spoke of the need to boost economic-trade-investment coordination by facilitating business visits and establishing a Business Council.

He reminded his Egyptian counterpart of the upcoming fifth meeting of the Vietnam-Egypt Joint Committee which is due to sign several cooperative deals.

In the morning the same day, State President Sang and his spouse, together with other distinguished guests, watched the Victory Day parade, the largest in Russian history, through the Red Square.

They also observed one minute of silence in memory of Russian soldiers and allies killed in the war.

In the evening, the Vietnamese leader met with Vietnamese embassy staff and asked them to perpetuate their role as a bridge between the two nations.

President meets Russian capital Governor

President Truong Tan Sang met with Governor of Moscow province Andrei Vorobyov and other local authorities on May 10 in Moscow.

During the meeting, the President hailed the development of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership and the fruitful achievements from their practical cooperation in trade, science-technology, education-training and culture between the two nations’ localities.

He said he was impressed with Russia’s strong development and that of its capital, contributing to the prosperity of the country.

The Governor briefed the President on the cooperation between Moscow and Vietnam’s localities, including Ho Chi Minh City.

President Sang welcomed the signing of the cooperation agreement between Moscow and Ho Chi Minh City, saying the document lays a legal foundation for boosting cooperation towards fully tapping their respective potential.

He also urged the Governor to support the establishment of a joint light industry zone in Moscow province to create more jobs for both local Russians and the Vietnamese overseas community.

On the occasion, a cooperation agreement was signed by Chairman of the municipal Peoples’ Committee Le Hoang Quan and Governor Andrei Vorobyov. President Sang witnessed the signing.

The same day, President Sang attended a ceremony to mark the 10 millionth tonne of oil tapped by RusVietpetro, a joint venture between the Russian oil group of Zarubezhneft and the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group, at the Russian company’s headquarter.

Later the day, President and his entourages left Moscow for Prague for a State visit to the Czech Republic from May 10-13.

Great Patriotic War victory will forever shine: President

Vietnamese people always remember and are grateful for the great sacrifices made by millions of former Soviet Union soldiers and people during the anti-fascism struggle 70 years ago, State President Truong Tan Sang has stated.

The Victory in the Great Patriotic War (May 9, 1945-2015) encouraged Vietnam and other oppressed countries worldwide to rise up for their independence and freedom, said the Vietnamese leader, who is in Russia for the celebration of the 70 th anniversary of the victory, while speaking to Russia’s major news agencies.

The victory inspired Vietnamese people, under the sound leadership of the late President Ho Chi Minh, to their own August Revolution victory in 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2 the same year, he noted.

He asserted that decisive contributions by former Soviet Union soldiers and people cannot be denied in the victory over fascism.

“History must be respected and relayed to next generations honestly,” he said.

“Over the past seven decades, historical lessons learnt from the anti-fascism struggle have still maintained their values,” he stressed.

These lessons showed the necessity to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in preserving peace and preventing threats of war and conflicts, and respect legitimate rights of nations in the world on the basis of international law and through bilateral and multilateral affiliation mechanisms, the President noted.

The State leader said that as suffering tremendous losses in the resistance wars for national liberation, Vietnamese people comprehend the value of peace and are ready to work with the peace-loving community in the world to maintain and promote the values brought by the Great Patriotic War Victory.

Vietnamese people always bear in their mind the priceless support of the Soviet Union during the struggle for independence, he said, adding that attention has been given to educating the youth of the nation’s tradition and the noble international spirit, as well as the close ties between Vietnam and Russia.

Currently, Russia is one of the leading trade partners of Vietnam, with two-way trade seeing seven-fold rise in the past decade to 2.76 billion USD, he noted, revealing that both sides are working hard to raise the figure to 10 billion USD by 2020.

He proposed that the two countries work together for the early signing of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union within 2015 as it would create a springboard for increased bilateral trade.

At the same time, both sides should facilitate market access for their products, while supporting the establishment of product-advertising centres, he suggest, adding that Vietnam and Russia should also back enterprises’ connection and partnership.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the State leader said Vietnam attaches much importance to the maintenance of peace, stability and maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea, settling disputes on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Declaration on the Conducts of Parties in the East Sea.

All parties should practice restraint and avoid actions escalating tension in the region, including using forces to unilaterally change the status quo there, he said, stressing the necessity to build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea soon.

He also expressed his hope that Russia will maintain and expand cooperation in joint oil and gas projects with Vietnam in its economic exclusive zone and continental shelf.-

VNA