N.A. delegation attends Nevsky International Ecological Congress in St. Petersburg

At a meeting on May 25 with Yatskin, who is also head of the Russian Federation Council's group for cooperation with the N.A. of Vietnam, Dinh affirmed that Vietnam always treasures the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, and remembers the priceless support that the former Soviet Union and now Russia has given to Vietnam.

Dinh, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam – Russia Friendship Parliamentarians' Group, pointed to a number of problems in the economic-trade partnership between the two countries, and asked Russia to support the upgrade and adjust the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to benefit bilateral relations. He also suggested that Russia create favourable conditions for the strengthening of labor cooperation in areas of each other's strengths and demands, and simplify the visa-granting procedures for Vietnamese citizens.

The Vietnamese official expressed his hope that the parliament and government of Russia will continue to support Russian oil and gas firms to cooperate with Vietnam in oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the East Sea (South China Sea) in line with international law.

Vietnam hopes that Russia will continue to support the country's standpoint of settling East Sea issues through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world, he said.

Dinh also highlighted the significance of parliamentary cooperation – an important pillar in the partnership between the two countries, stressing the need to strengthen parliamentary collaboration to support the partnership between the two governments.

For his part, Yatskin proposed the addition of the promotion of organic production that Vietnam gave in the Nevsky International Ecological Congress into the cooperation agenda between the two friendship parliamentarians' groups.

He said that he has regularly worked with leaders of St. Petersburg during the construction of President Ho Chi Minh's statue in the city as well as preparations for the inauguration of the statue on June 30 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnamese leader's first arrival in Petrograd of the former Soviet Union, which is St. Petersburg now.

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation had a meeting with Vice Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Nikolai Bondarenko who expressed delight at the diverse cooperation between the city and Vietnam as well as Vietnamese localities.

Dinh affirmed the significance of locality-to-locality cooperation between the two countries and expressed his hope that Russia and St. Petersburg will continue to give favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to work and settle down in the city and make contribution to the development of ties between the two countries.

Also on May 25, the Vietnamese delegation attended the opening session of the 10th Nevsky International Ecological Congress.

Earlier on May 24, the delegation had a working session with the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg, and presented the local administration and Secondary School No.488 with many precious documents about President Ho Chi Minh to exhibit at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in the city.

Source: VNA