HANOI, May 7. /TASS/. Vietnam is ready to become a bridge between Russia and Asian countries to promote cooperation in the energy sector, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son told TASS.
He was speaking on the eve of the official visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam to Moscow on May 8.
As the deputy prime minister noted, due to its geostrategic position, Vietnam is actively involved in regional energy cooperation and mechanisms for ensuring energy security as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN+3 format, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
"We believe that as a country that traditionally has long-term and reliable relations with Russia in the energy sector, Vietnam can become a bridge for the exchange and dissemination of cooperation experience between Russia and other countries in this area," said Bui Thanh Son.
According to him, the republic "is interested in learning more from its partners, especially in the field of high and new technologies" in order to create a basis for the development of effective interaction between states in the energy sector and ensure energy security and sustainable development not only for Vietnam, but also for other countries in the region and the world.
The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that energy remains one of the strategic pillars of cooperation between Vietnam and Russia within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. "Currently, Russia is a major partner of Vietnam in the energy sector, especially in oil and gas projects. Two joint ventures, Vietsovpetro and Rusvietpetro, are working very effectively in the field of oil and gas exploration and production in Vietnam and Russia," he said. Bui Thanh Son also noted that the two countries have recently made progress in cooperation in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, while expanding cooperation to new areas in the energy sector.