On the occasion of the Spring of Giap Thin 2024, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam, GENADY STEPANOVICH BEZDETKO, gave an interview to DTTC about the good traditional relationship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, as well as the prospects for economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. Accordingly, he affirmed that developing diverse relations with Vietnam has been and remains a priority in Russia's foreign policy, and for the benefit of both countries.
REPORTER: - Sir, 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Basic Principles of Friendly Relations (1994-2024), and the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam - Russian Federation Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2012-2024). Since then, Vietnam - Russia relations have been continuously strengthened. How do you assess this relationship?
Ambassador BEZDETKO : - The development of diverse relations with Vietnam has been and remains one of the priorities of Russia's foreign policy. Relations between Moscow and Hanoi have withstood the test of time, having been "forged" during the arduous years of the Vietnamese people's struggle for freedom and independence, as well as the post-war reconstruction in the second half of the 20th century. These relations have always been traditional and enduring.
In 2023, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Nguyen Ai Quoc (President Ho Chi Minh)'s arrival in Petrograd. This event was the beginning of a long-lasting friendship between our two countries. We honored this solemn event and erected a monument to the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Saint Petersburg. In 2024, we will celebrate the 74th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. This is a testament to the importance of the Vietnamese direction in Russia's foreign policy.
We are also preparing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Fundamental Principles of Friendly Relations between the Russian Federation and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which has become the basis for the development of bilateral cooperation in the current period. 12 years ago, Russia became one of the first Comprehensive Strategic Partners of Vietnam. And today, the two countries maintain regular political dialogue at the highest and highest levels, close contacts between authorized ministries. This allows for effective implementation of the agreements reached, timely response to urgent contemporary challenges and threats. These events further confirm that Vietnam is a priority partner in Russia's foreign policy.
In October 2023, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong met on the sidelines of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. There, they exchanged views on a wide range of issues on the bilateral, regional and international agendas; affirmed the spirit of mutual support to continue promoting priority tasks to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In 2023, visits to Vietnam by Chairman of the All-Russian Political Party "United Russia", and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation DA Medvedev (May 2023), Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin (October 2023), First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation A. Yatskin (February 2023), Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Russian Federation DV Chernyshenko (April 2023), Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation VA Kolokoltsev, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation AV Kurenkov (October and November 2023), Governor of Kaluga province VVShapsha (November 2023).
On the Vietnamese side, a number of Vietnamese leaders, including Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang, Minister of Public Security To Lam, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam and Chairman of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Parliamentarians Group Nguyen Khac Dinh, have visited Russia. We hope that there will be many meetings and exchanges between delegations of the two countries in 2024. Another aspect that has also left many marks in the relationship between the two countries is the development of relations of friendship and solidarity between the Russian and Vietnamese people. We are very happy that many Vietnamese people love Russian culture, especially those who have studied and worked in the Soviet Union and the former Soviet Republics. We regularly organize tours of Russian art troupes to Vietnam.
Among the highlights of 2023 are the “Days of Russian Culture” in Hanoi and Ha Long (July 2023), performances by the famous art troupe “Turetskiy Choir” in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (November 2023). Works by famous Russian poets and writers (many books by AS Pushkin, M. Yu. Lermontov, AP Chekhov, LN Tolstoy have been translated into Vietnamese), composers (PI Chaikovskiy, MI Glinka, SV Rakhmaninov, DD Shostakovich) and directors, especially Soviet directors who have long been very popular in Vietnam.
- So what measures are needed to promote the relationship between the two countries in the coming time, sir?
- We are currently restoring the flow of Russian tourists to Vietnam (before the Covid-19 pandemic, there were more than 650,000 Russian tourists visiting Vietnam every year). We also pay traditional attention to joint action in the field of education and human resource training.
Every year, the Government of the Russian Federation allocates 1,000 scholarships for the training of Vietnamese students at leading Russian universities. We highlight the interest of Vietnamese citizens in studying the Russian language.
We continue to train new generations of Russian Vietnamologists. We are grateful for the opportunity to conduct language internships in Vietnam. The positions of the two countries on most pressing issues on the regional and international agenda are close or coincide. This creates favorable conditions for close coordination of actions in leading international forums, primarily within the framework of the United Nations and its agencies.
We are determined to vigorously promote and synchronize bilateral relations, seek new directions for growth, and create favorable conditions for development to move forward. We attach great importance to the very effective work of the Russia-Vietnam Intergovernmental Commission on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation, the 25th regular session of which is scheduled to take place in Moscow in March and April 2024.
It can be confidently said that the friendship that has been tested over the years between the people of Russia and Vietnam is not affected by changes in the situation. That friendship is a solid foundation for the continued development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in all directions for the benefit of the people of Russia and Vietnam.
- In recent years, the world and regional economic situation has had certain fluctuations. Does this affect the economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation? And what do we need to do to overcome these obstacles, sir?
- In the increasingly complex global geopolitical context, Russia-Vietnam cooperation has not stagnated. In particular, Russian and Vietnamese businesses have adapted to new conditions and found ways to overcome current complexities. Cooperation at the inter-local level is also being strongly expanded.
One of the key directions in the coordination of actions between the two countries in recent times has been the oil and gas sector. Accordingly, the two countries continue to implement mixed projects on the continental shelf of Vietnam and on the territory of the Russian Federation. The two countries are also expanding cooperation in the field of industrial production. The Vietnam-Russia Joint Venture Bank is also playing an important role in ensuring payment using local currencies. The two sides are also looking for new directions in coordination of actions, including clean energy and information and communication technology.
- From a diplomatic perspective, how do you evaluate Vietnam's "bamboo diplomacy"?
- Russia consistently supports the development of equal and mutually beneficial relations with all partners who share common interests. Events in recent years have clearly demonstrated that Russia has many friends and like-minded countries in all regions of the world.
We understand and respect the foreign policy that Vietnam is pursuing. We see that this policy allows us to effectively solve the tasks to ensure the country's forward-looking socio-economic development. We wish Vietnam success in implementing the plans it has set out.
Thank you very much.
THANH HA (performed)
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