Vietnamese, Russian ministers talk defense cooperation

The agreement came out at talks in Moscow on August 7 between General Phung Quang Thanh and General Shoigu Sergei Kuzugetovich following a ceremony held to welcome the former and his entourage in an official friendship visit from August 7-10 to Russia.

General Thanh spoke of productive developments in Viet Nam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership both bilaterally and multilaterally in recent times.

He emphasized the honor and deep gratitude to people and armed forces of the former Soviet (current Russia) for their immense, efficient assistance to Viet Nam during wartime, attributing these assistance to Viet Nam’s gaining of national independence and reunification and its national construction.

“Defence cooperation plays an important role in the two countries' relations,” Minister Thanh underscored, saying his visit aims to elevate that cooperation to the pace with comprehensive strategic partnership for the sake of peace, stability in the region and the world.

In the current changing world, the two sides need to deepen their defense cooperation, making it more productive and sustainable and close to each side’s real demands in conformity with the signed agreement, he said.

Specifically, these include the exchange of delegations at all levels as well as defense policy and strategy issues, training, the sharing of experience between armed forces and military technology cooperation, Thanh added.

He stated that the effective defense cooperation does not go beyond reinforcing bilateral traditional friendship and relations within the mutually beneficial strategic partnership to provide a peaceful and stable environment for national development. “It does not target a third country,” he stated.

The Vietnamese Minister also noted that bilateral cooperation needs to conform to multilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, in which Russia plays an important role.

Minister Thanh said he hopes that on the basis of mutual political trust, expediting these proposed cooperative measures will bring the two countries’ defense ties to a new height, on a par with their comprehensive strategic partnership and in their mutual interests.

For his part, Minister Shoigu Sergei Kuzegetovich stressed that Russia always considers Viet Nam as its strategic partnership while speaking of the traditional friendship with Viet Nam and the achievements made by Vietnamese people and army.

He expressed his approval of the proposed cooperation activities, affirming that Russia will take positive moves in cooperation with Viet Nam in personnel training, military technologies and navy. “The most favorable conditions will be created for cooperation in these fields,” the Minister added.

Following the their talks, the two Defense Ministers witnessed the signing of a bilateral training cooperation plan and met the press to inform about the outcomes of their talks.-VNA