The delegation includes Rostov Region Governor Vasily Golubev and representatives of scientific and business circles.
A Federation Council delegation headed by First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Andrey Yatskin is travelling to Vietnam on a working visit. The delegation includes First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Andrey Denisov, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management Alexei Mayorov, member of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Pyotr Tultayev, Rostov Region Governor Vasily Golubev and representatives of scientific and business circles.
The delegation’s plans include visits to the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh and the province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, talks in the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a number of meetings with representatives of Vietnamese business circles.
Andrey Yatskin met with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Ding Hue. The Senator conveyed to him a message from Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko with an invitation to make an official visit to Russia.
During the conversation, Andrey Yatskin spoke highly of Vietnam’s balanced and unbiased position on the crisis in Ukraine and the special military operation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. “The refusal to join the unlawful anti-Russia restrictions again confirms the traditionally friendly and trust-based nature of our relations that are immune to opportunistic changes. We attach particular importance to the invariable support for the resolution on “Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,” which Vietnam co-authors every year.
Andrey Yatskin emphasised the need for parliamentary support of the Russian regions’ cooperation with Vietnamese cities and provinces.
He recalled the good experience of the roundtable discussion between the leadership of Russian regions and Vietnamese cities and provinces during the Federation Council Speaker’s visit to Vietnam in February 2017. Andrey Yatskin suggested that Vuong Ding Hue consider the possibility of holding such an event.
He noted that Russian MPs are committed to coordinating actions at international platforms, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments, and during events of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).
During the meeting, the participants discussed separately the credit and finance sector, investment and trade cooperation, and more active bilateral contacts in the humanitarian sphere, education as well as efforts to promote the Russian language and Russian culture in Vietnam.
Andrey Yatskin took part in a meeting of the cooperation group between the Federation Council and the SRV National Assembly and the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Group headed by Deputy Speaker of the SRV National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh. The participants held a substantive discussion on a broad range of current bilateral and international issues and mapped out plans for the friendship groups.
Andrey Yatskin emphasised that amid the spike in geopolitical turbulence, Russian MPs were committed to continue strengthening versatile cooperation with the SRV on the broadest range of issues, including in the areas of trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, as well as education and culture.
“Interparliamentary ties are one of the main components of the Russia-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership. Expanding contacts between lawmakers and relevant committees of the parliaments of both countries is becoming increasingly important in both bilateral and international formats,” said the First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council.
During the talks, Andrey Yatskin proposed thinking about compiling a plan for long-term cooperation between the friendship groups, as well as drafting amendments and supplements to the November 2012 Agreement on Cooperation between the Federation Council and the National Assembly of Vietnam.
Andrey Yatskin and Nguyen Khac Dinh also discussed prospects for developing dialogue between the relevant committees of the legislative bodies and promoting bilateral trade and investment cooperation. They also reviewed adjustments in transport and logistics chains between the two states.
“We must discuss in a short span of time issues related to adapting our cooperation to the reality of sanctions and map out specific steps on overcoming difficulties. A regular session of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation will provide a good opportunity for this. There was a proposal to hold it in Hanoi in the second half of March,” Andrey Yatskin said.
Andrey Yatskin invited Nguyen Khac Dinh to attend the 10th International Ecological Congress scheduled to take place in St Petersburgh on 25–26 May 2023.
Earlier, members of the Federation Council delegation met with Do Van Chien, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF).
The Federation Council delegation visited the Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Centre (Tropical Centre). “We highly value the results of its activities and hope for future achievements of this unique facility in the interests of resolving tasks facing Russia and Vietnam,” said Andrey Yatskin.
Wreath-laying ceremonies were held at the Monument to Fallen Heroes and the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh.