Russia and Vietnam need to develop a trustworthy partnership.

On the occasion of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's upcoming visit to Vietnam, reporters from Vietnam News Agency, VTV and VOV stationed in the Russian Federation had an interview with Prime Minister Medvedev.

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Medvedev

Prime Minister Medvedev said this was his third visit to Vietnam. The first time he came to Hanoi was about 10 years ago, but not as a leader of the Russian State or Government. He witnessed with his own eyes the great changes in Vietnam, a country that is developing strongly. However, what remained in his mind was the close brotherly affection, hospitality and sincerity of the Vietnamese people.

He expressed his joy at being able to visit Vietnam again, and affirmed that the leaders and people of the Russian Federation and Vietnam have the duty to preserve and promote the close, precious, fraternal and trustworthy traditional relationship and sentiments between the two countries and peoples. Vietnam News Agency would like to introduce the content of the interview:

- Could you please tell us the main topics that will be discussed during your upcoming visit to Vietnam?

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:In Hanoi, the Vietnamese leaders and I will discuss a range of issues aimed at strengthening our traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership. First of all, as the head of the Russian government, I will focus on economic issues.

The economic and trade cooperation between the two partners Russia and Vietnam is developing increasingly strongly and effectively, but has not yet fully met the aspirations of both sides. The turnover of goods exchange is still at a modest level. The two sides have set a target of raising the trade turnover to 7 billion USD by 2015, a sharp increase compared to the current level of about 3 billion USD.

However, compared to the trade turnover between Vietnam and other countries in the region such as China and Japan, it is still low. Therefore, our task is to further increase the effectiveness of bilateral economic and trade cooperation to match the very good partnership and friendship between Russia and Vietnam. In addition, the Vietnamese leaders and I will also discuss other areas of cooperation such as energy, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, information and telecommunications, etc.

The third point I would like to mention is the construction of a Russian-Vietnamese cooperation structure taking into account the general development of the Asia-Pacific region, since both countries are part of this region. We are important players in the region and we are not indifferent to the development of the Asia-Pacific. I will also touch upon other issues such as the international and regional situation and bilateral projects when meeting with Vietnamese leaders.

- According to the Prime Minister, what do Russia and Vietnam need to do to achieve the goal of increasing bilateral trade turnover to 7 billion USD by 2015?

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:Indeed, we need to successfully achieve the set goals, but that is not the final goal for us to strive for. 7 billion USD by 2015 is the immediate goal, the long-term goal must be higher. The implementation measures are in new forms of cooperation, including promoting the achievements of cooperation in traditional areas of joint action such as energy, machine building, science and technology, and military-technical fields. Bilateral military-technical cooperation not only contributes to the development of the Russian defense industry complex, but also helps Vietnam strengthen its military potential.

First of all, we need to promote priority joint projects in energy. In this area, we have extended the operation period of the Vietsopetro Joint Venture until 2030, defined new principles and directions for development, and set ambitious goals for the joint venture. Vietsopetro products are bringing income and benefits to both countries.

Since Vietnam is a strategic partner of the Russian Federation, we also have other important joint projects such as Russian oil and gas corporations attracting investment from Vietnam and inviting Vietnamese enterprises to conduct joint ventures to explore and exploit oil and gas in strategic mines that Russia has not yet allowed any other country in the world to operate in. Vietnam is given priority in this field due to the strategic partnership between the two sides, while taking into account the future development prospects of this relationship.

- What does the Prime Minister think about Vietnam starting negotiations to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan? What are the prospects for this project?

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:I consider this new form of cooperation to be good and promising. Indeed, we need to go further, such as the possibility of establishing an FTA between the three countries participating in the Customs Union, including Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, with Vietnam. It will allow us to coordinate actions both in the field of planning and implementing economic policies. Vietnam will benefit from participating in a quadrilateral FTA because it will create conditions for Vietnamese goods to have new markets.

For our part, we will receive more goods from Vietnam because for Russia, an expanded single market is much better than the domestic market of a large country like the Russian Federation.

With the FTA, we will multiply the economic and trade potential of both sides. Of course, in this matter, each country must choose its own path because there is a large number of members participating with complex and different views. Vietnam also participates in other international structures, so it must harmonize its relations with the Customs Union. In addition, we need to act in coordination to strengthen the integration processes within the Asia-Pacific framework.

- Recently, the leaders of the two countries have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of oil and gas and military-technical fields. Could you please tell us how the two governments will implement these agreements?

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:We have been discussing this issue for the past decade and during recent high-level bilateral visits. I believe that we need to expand further cooperation directions and the prospects for joint action in this area are bright, for example, moving towards high-tech cooperation and applying new forms of energy and fuel supply.

I think that both Russia and Vietnam are interested in providing high technology in the energy sector because the world is changing and technology is becoming more advanced. In addition to exchanging finished and semi-finished products such as oil and gas, our two countries need to expand into the field of fuel-energy processing. If we focus on this direction of cooperation, the results will be even higher. In the future, we can supply each other with liquefied gas, especially from Russian enterprises operating in Siberia and the Far East.

Regarding military-technical cooperation, in recent years, we have made great strides and the level of this cooperation is being fundamentally improved. We have restored the spirit of cooperation that existed under the former Soviet Union. Russia supports the promotion of that spirit of cooperation and is ready to help Vietnam in the training of specialists, including specialized officer training, as well as support the use of military technology on the basis of compliance with Russia's international commitments.

- How does the Prime Minister assess Vietnam's role and position in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region in the context of Russia's policy of strengthening cooperation with this region and balancing East-West relations, specifically between Russia and the European Union (EU) on one side and Russia and ASEAN-APEC on the other?

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:Russia highly values ​​Vietnam’s role and position in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region. Vietnam is developing strongly and has great socio-economic potential. Vietnam is a long-standing friend of Russia, so we have many advantages in our relations with you. That is important for the future of the relationship between the two sides.

Russia is a country that stretches across Europe and Asia, so that also contributes to determining the direction of cooperation between us. Russia will do its best to strengthen its position in the Asia-Pacific region as well as in other regional structures such as ASEAN. In that context, Russia will strengthen coordination with Vietnam to implement joint projects and unify views on common regional issues.

- A short and clear message that the Russian leader delivered at the APEC-2012 Conference, and also sent to the whole world, is that Russia is ready to become an economic and educational bridge between East and West with all the advantages and the highest responsibility. So, Prime Minister, please tell us what Russia will do to overcome the obstacles and challenges that are emerging in the Asia-Pacific region to realize that message?

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev:Russia has adopted a policy of participating in the development of the Asia-Pacific region and has a program for the development of its Eastern Siberia and Far East region in close connection with the development of this region. It would be wrong to assume that the development of the Asia-Pacific region is not without its own set of problems, including poverty, ecological challenges and financial difficulties. Russia will have to face these problems as a country located in Asia. Therefore, Russia is committed to developing relations with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and will participate in discussions on all issues related to the development of the region. First of all, it is about unifying the rules of trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Among the challenges is the fact that Asia has many densely populated countries - which is quite important for ensuring food security. Russia, a country with strong agricultural potential, is ready to discuss this issue to introduce Russia's potential for agricultural cooperation.

The third important direction of cooperation is to build the right relationship and develop the infrastructure of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The use of transport corridors through Russian territory by countries in the region not only helps them save costs but also contributes to creating more jobs and increasing income for Russian enterprises./.

Thank you very much, Prime Minister!

According to (TTXVN)-LT