President of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang (re-translated): Mr President of Russia Vladimir Putin, friends,
Once again, please allow me to welcome Comrade Putin and all of our Russian friends to Vietnam.
I am deeply convinced that this visit – already your third to Vietnam – will further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia.
I want to assure you that I personally, as well as all our leadership, considers Comrade Putin our very close friend. Mr Putin has put forward a great many initiatives to further the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between our countries. Every time you visit Vietnam, you give a new stimulus to the development of our countries’ relations and cooperation.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrade President, friends,
First of all, thank you very much for the invitation.
Relations between Russia and Vietnam are more than strategic; they are very special. We share in the full sense of the word a heroic past of collaboration and struggle, including the struggle for Vietnam’s independence. We have done great joint work during the postwar revival, and have very good prospects for the future.
Without our delegations, we discussed in detail almost all areas in which we cooperate, including very sensitive ones. I am referring to military-technical, defence cooperation.
We have many projects in mechanical engineering, aviation, outer space and the humanitarian sphere. Because of this, naturally, a very large, representative delegation accompanies me on this visit.
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