TSAMTO, July 6. Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu held talks with the Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam, Colonel General Hoang Xuan Tien, who arrived in Moscow to participate in the sixth meeting of the joint Russian-Vietnamese strategic dialogue on defense issues.
"I was pleased to accept your offer to meet and discuss the current state and prospects for the development of our cooperation, primarily in the military field. You are always a welcome guest in our country, like all Vietnamese friends," Sergei Shoigu said.
The head of the Russian military department thanked Hoang Xuan Tien for his personal participation in the reception organized on June 9 by the Russian Embassy in Hanoi on the occasion of Russia Day: "It is gratifying that you pay attention to our public holidays and find time to share the joy of such events with your Russian colleagues."
"Vietnam has been and remains our reliable ally, a key partner in the Asia-Pacific region," the Russian Defense Minister said.
In turn, the deputy head of the military department of Vietnam called the interaction of the military departments of the two states a vivid example of cooperation between the two countries, which has a history of more than 70 years.
"Despite the difficulties Russia faces, Vietnam always supports Russia. We are always determined to enhance and develop our cooperation, cooperation in all areas of cooperation within the framework of military and military-technical cooperation," said Vietnam's Deputy Defense Minister, Colonel–General Hoang Xuan Tien.
Sergei Shoigu expressed confidence in the need to increase face-to-face interdepartmental contacts to strengthen ties and search for new promising areas of cooperation: "We pay great attention to joint work in multilateral formats, primarily at the SMOA Plus site. We are interested in developing and strengthening such ties." During the meeting, the sides noted the intensification of the Russian-Vietnamese multifaceted cooperation, which meets the fundamental interests of the two states, which was repeatedly noted during the negotiations at the highest level. "We are always open for an honest dialogue on any mutually beneficial topics and issues," Sergei Shoigu summed up.
Earlier in the day, a strategic dialogue was held with the participation of the head of the Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation, Lieutenant General Alexander Krzymovsky, at which topical issues of multifaceted Russian-Vietnamese cooperation, including military and military-technical cooperation, were discussed. The parties confirmed their mutual interest in intensifying military-delegation exchange between the armed forces, and also noted the consistent expansion of ties in the educational sphere.
As a result of the strategic dialogue, a Memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Kirov Military Medical Academy and the Military Medical Academy of the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam, the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reports.
