Vietnam and Russia on May 15 issued a Joint Communiqué, confirming that the lifting of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership level has created a strong driving force for stronger cooperation in the new era.

 

The Communiqué, issued following Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s May 13-15 visit, says the two Governments will work closely and ask ministries, departments and localities to comprehensively deepen cooperation in various areas. 

The two sides agreed to increase political dialogues, further bolster the relations through Party, State, Government and legislature channels as well as between ministries, departments and peoples of the two nations.  Leaders of the Vietnamese and Russian Governments agreed to take measures to boost two-way trade to US$7 billion by 2015 and US$10 billion by 2020.  Both sides will negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement covering trade, investment, services and issues of mutual concern, based on flexible principles, development goals, the balance between demand and interest in line with common international practices and the World Trade Organisation’s regulations.  They highly valued bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy and attached special importance to the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Vietnam.  Vietnam and Russia pledged to further collaboration in national defence and security in the spirit of agreements reached by the two countries’ leaders.  The two PMs affirmed their determination to implement the high-level agreements reached by President Truong Tan Sang and President Vladimir Putin under a Joint Communiqué in July 2012 on accelerating the Vietnam – Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in foreign policies as well as boosting coordination in international arena, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia – Pacific region and the world.  During PM Dung’s visit, the two sides signed a tourism cooperation plan and a judicial cooperation programme for the 2013-2014 period.  The two sides agreed that that PM Dung’s visit to Russia has make important contributions to advancing the Vietnam – Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.

Before leaving Russia, Prime Minister Dung met with President Vladimir Putin. Dung highly valued Russia’s foreign policy of considering Vietnam a prioritised partner in the region. He affirmed that Russia is Vietnam’s important partner, adding that Vietnam will make every effort with Russia to expand bilateral comprehensive links in various realms, on the basis of enhanced and trustworthy political relations.  The PM also informed President Putin of the East Sea situation and pledged to create all possible favourable conditions for Russian oil and gas companies to expand operations in the continental shelf and offshore Vietnam in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).  President Putin said Russia attaches much importance to the maintenance of peace and stability in the East Sea and hopes relevant parties settle the East Sea disputes on the basis of international law.  Both host and guest said bilateral trade remains modest and has yet to match the two countries’ potential. The signing of a free trade area agreement between Vietnam and the Union of Customs of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will contribute to raising two-way trade to US$10 billion by 2020. 

Dung and Putin stressed that energy cooperation is one of top priorities between the two nations. The Russian side will actively continue oil and gas exploitation activities in Vietnam’s continental shelf, and encourage Russia-Vietnam joint ventures to expand cooperation in Russia.

In the field of nuclear power, they vowed to closely work on building the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant as scheduled, based on the state-of-the-art technology to ensure safety, quality and the best efficiency. 

Both leaders also reached a consensus on working closely in education – training, and science-technology.

After the meeting, Dung witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group and Rosneft Corporation on searching, surveying and exploiting oil and gas in Russia, Vietnam and the third countries. 

VNA/VOV online