Viet Nam, Russia to cement legislative ties

The First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma and First Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Russia Ivan Melnikov during his meeting with Vietnamese National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.—VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Lanh

HA NOI – (VNS) Russia aimed to bolster comprehensive co-operation and strengthen its partnership with Viet Nam, especially between the two countries' parliaments.

The comment was made by the First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma and First Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Russia Ivan Melnikov during his meeting with Vietnamese National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Ngan, who is also Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam's Central Committee, is in Russia on a visit that started on September 26.

She also met with Vice Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Ilyas Umakhalnov and President of the Russian Parliamentarians Group with Viet Nam and Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee for Energy Sergey Levchenko.

Ivan Melnikov said the Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matvienko will pay an official visit to Viet Nam in November to promote the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial co-operation between the two parliaments and peoples.

He stated that at the 21st session of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians Union in January 2013, Russia will voice its support for Viet Nam's hosting of the union's next session in 2015.

For her part, Ngan affirmed the two parliaments' great role in accelerating the sharing of experiences drawn from their activities to increase mutual understanding and reinforce comprehensive co-operation between the two countries and peoples.

Viet Nam is implementing a foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification and wants to befriend all countries, and Russia is a top priority partner, said the Vietnamese legislative leader.

She spoke highly of Russia's successful organisation of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Vladivostock, saying that this is an important event for Russia to bolster ties with the Asia-Pacific region, including Viet Nam.

The two sides affirmed their determination to enhance co-ordination in international and regional forums, particularly within the framework of the UN and APEC.

They noted both countries should soon complete procedures for the signing of a labour co-operation agreement at an early date.

The Vietnamese NA leader's visit will end on September 29. – VNA