Vietnam Attaches Importance to Relations with Russia: Party Leader

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Le Kha Phieu said that Vietnam is determined to attach importance to consolidating and developing its traditional friendship and cooperation with Russia.

Phieu made the remarks during meeting here on Friday with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the meeting, the Vietnamese Party leader 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 defense.

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

Phieu 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.

He described the visit by 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 cooperative relations between Vietnam and Russia.

President Putin thanked General Secretary Phieu and the Vietnamese people for their warm sentiments towards his delegation.

Putin appreciated 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.

He 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 cooperation between the two countries.

He stressed that the two countries had great potential for development of equal and stable cooperation.

Russian President Putin left here Friday afternoon, concluding his three-day official visit to Vietnam. Putin began his visit to Vietnam on Wednesday evening after he ended a three-day state visit to South Korea.






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