MINSK, 12 May (BelTA) - Vietnam sees Belarus as a strategic partner, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov told the media on 12 May, BelTA has learned.
According to Maksim Ryzhenkov, the visit of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam to Belarus has been initiated by Vietnam. The minister called it “a big, very friendly and sincere step”.
The composition of the Vietnamese delegation shows that the country is interested in discussing all areas of cooperation with Belarusian partners.
“Vietnam is interested not just in paying a visit [to Belarus], but in working out all areas of cooperation and making decisions at the highest level,” Maksim Ryzhenkov said.
Belarus and Vietnam are now working on a roadmap on cooperation. The parties agreed to finalize the document taking into account the outcomes of To Lam's visit to Belarus and bilateral talks.
“It is very important for us to see a joint statement signed by the leaders of the two countries on bringing cooperation to the level of strategic partnership. This is the second most important level which gives additional opportunities for the development of cooperation in all sectors. This is the biggest signal to all organizations, companies, ministries of Vietnam that Belarus is a strategic partner of Vietnam, that it is not only possible, but necessary to develop relations with us and treat us as a strategic partner when developing these relations,” the minister said.
Belarus and Vietnam have very close historical ties, Maksim Ryzhenkov added. One of the first events during To Lam’s visit to Belarus was his meeting with representatives of the Belarus-Vietnam friendship society.
“Vietnam still appreciates and remembers the contribution of our Belarusian citizens as part of the Soviet country in the liberation of Vietnam and its post-war reconstruction,” the minister explained. “Secondly, the two countries show very close cultural mentality. We are a little bit in different poles, but the attitude to life, hard work, developed over many years under occupation, or the struggle for independence, the sense of importance of peace, creative labor, and a peace-loving foreign policy bring us together.”
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