Prominent among those at the ceremony were Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Khristenko, who is also Co-Chairman of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Lieut. Gen. Alexander Burutin; Deputy Speakers of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Ivan Melnikov; President of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association Vladimir Buiyanov and representatives of the Foreign Ministry of Russia.

The ambassadors of the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and representatives of the associations of Vietnamese people and businesses in Russia also attended the event.

While addressing the ceremony, Dinh said that 60 years ago, the Soviet Union’s decision to recognise and set up diplomatic relations with the newly-founded Democratic Republic of Vietnam marked an historic and important event, paving the way for a series of countries around the world to recognise Vietnam and creating a firm foundation to develop comprehensive ties between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

The diplomat highlighted the great support and effective assistance the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation have extended to Vietnam in its national defence and development during the post-war period.

The traditional friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries have been strengthened and expanded for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity between the two nations and around the world, he said.

In his reply, Khristenko stressed that the establishment of diplomatic ties 60 years ago laid a solid foundation for the durable friendship and multifaceted cooperation between his country and Vietnam .

Both nations stood side by side during the years when the Vietnamese people struggled for national independence and reunification as well as during the post-war reconstruction and development period, he said.

The minister went on to say that the Russian people always keep in mind the feats of arms that volunteer Vietnamese soldiers performed while fighting in the ranks of the Soviet Union ’s army.

The Russia-Vietnam relationship is now at the level of a strategic partnership and has reaped huge successes despite the global economic crisis, Khristenko said, expressing his belief that bilateral ties would develop further in line with the targets and tasks of both countries and for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole./.