By RIA Novosti,
Hanoi : Vietnam is seeking to expand cooperation with Russia in all spheres, the country’s president has said ahead of a visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Nguyen Minh Triet will arrive on an official visit to Russia on October 26-29. This will be his first visit to the country since he took office in June 2006.
“We intend to discuss with the Russian leadership the expansion of cooperation in all spheres, including political, defense and security, as well as economic,” Triet told RIA Novosti.
He said the sides would sign a joint statement, which would have “a strategic significance for the development of bilateral ties,” and a number of documents on bilateral cooperation.
Trade between Russia and Vietnam in the first seven months of the year exceeded $1 billion, and may rise by 40% to reach a record $1.6 billion by the end of 2008.
Vietnam is currently implementing 58 domestic projects with Russian investment worth $370 million.
Nguyen Minh Triet said Vietnam would do everything possible to attract more investment from Russia.
“Vietnam is ready to grant Russian investors the most favorable status,” he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on October 20: “Our partnership with Vietnam is of a strategic nature and has very good prospects, as well as traditions of friendship and mutual assistance going back many years.”