    |
 |
|
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh at the online talk with Senior Lieutenant General A.V. Fomin. |
During the talks with his Russian counterpart, General Vinh congratulated Russia on its successful organization of the military parade marking the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War as well as its national referendum on amendments to the constitution. Through Senior Lieutenant General A.V. Fomin, the Vietnamese Deputy Defense Minister conveyed Vietnamese Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich’s greetings and invitation to Russian Defense Minister General Sergey Shoigu to visit Vietnam and participate in ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+), slated for late this year.
He said that despite the complicated development of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese Defense Ministry has put forth its utmost effort to prevent disruption of cooperation activities between the two sides.
Regarding the defense cooperation in COVID-19 prevention and control, General Vinh spoke highly of the effective performance of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center and a mobile lab that the Russian side gave Vietnam. He affirmed that it is very important equipment helping Vietnam detect infected cases and effectively prevent the disease.
On the occasion, the Vietnamese Deputy Defense Minister informed his counterpart of the process of organizing activities in the year when Vietnam is the ASEAN Chair in 2020 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, thus affirming Vietnam's determination to continue promoting cooperation in ADMM and ADMM + for the mutual benefits of ASEAN and its partners, including Russia. He said that Vietnam supports Russia’s initiatives and hopes the European country will back Vietnam’s initiatives during its ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020, thus promoting ASEAN-Russia relations and contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
|
|
 |
|
At the talk between Vietnamese Deputy Defense Minister and hiss Russian counterpart |
For his part, Senior Lieutenant General A.V. Fomin extended General Sergey Shoigu’s best wishes to General Ngo Xuan Lich and congratulated Vietnam on its successes in the fight against COVID-19 and expressed his deep thanks to the Vietnamese Defense Ministry for presenting medical supplies to Russia. He also took this occasion to thank Vietnam for widely broadcasting the parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Russian officer emphasized that Russia will bear in mind the sacrifices of seven Vietnamese soldiers who stood side by side with their Soviet Union peers in the fight against Fascism. The Vietnamese soldiers were honored at the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, he added.
The Russian Deputy Defense Minister wished Vietnam success as ASEAN Chair 2020 and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, especially in organizing activities celebrating the 10th anniversary of ADMM +. He affirmed that Russia is ready for dialogue and cooperation on the basis of trust and peace with other countries. Regarding the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, Russia considers it an important symbol in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Also during the online conversation, the two generals evaluated the bilateral defense cooperation over the past time and agreed on the orientations for the bilateral defense relations in the coming time. They showed their determination not to let the COVID-19 pandemic affect their developing ties.
The two Deputy Defense Ministers laid stress on the importance of collaboration in dealing with non-traditional security challenges. They highlighted outstanding cooperation areas, including the exchange of high-level delegations; defense strategy dialogues; collaboration between services and arms; cooperation in training, military technology, UN peacekeeping operation; compiling a profile on 70 years of Vietnam-Russia defense relations; participation in the International Army Games 2020.
* Talking with Mr. Andrew Bridgman, General Vinh congratulated New Zealand on its effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that the Vietnamese Defense Ministry thanked the Defense Ministry of New Zealand for helping return two Vietnamese military students who were studying English in the country. The deed demonstrated the nation’s goodwill and humanitarian spirit while countries worldwide are facing difficulties due to the pandemic.
Vinh recalled Vietnam’s achievements in controlling COVID-19 over the past time and emphasized that Vietnam has always attached much importance to international cooperation and considered global collaboration a basis for the successful containment of the virus. As the ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Vietnam has hosted online conferences to exchange cooperation activities to respond to COVID-19.
For his part, New Zealand Secretary of Defense Andrew Bridgman congratulated and highlighted the effective prevention and control of COVID-19 of Vietnam, especially its military, the vanguard force in the fight. He emphasized that the two sides should strengthen cooperation, friendship and mutual understanding, and mutual trust.
|
|
 |
|
At the talk between Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh and Mr. Andrew Bridgman. |
The two sides agreed that together with existing cooperation activities, the two defense ministries should step up their cooperation in potential fields, including training of cyber security personnel, sharing of experience in search and rescue, military medicine, production of medical supplies for disease prevention and control, and collaboration in cyber security to serve online conferences amid COVID-19. The expansion of cooperation fields will contribute to promoting the comprehensive cooperation and toward the strategic partnership of the two countries. The two sides vowed to work for the mutual benefits of both counties and for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
Translated by Tran Hoai