Mr Triet made the statement while receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Hanoi on July 25.

Both host and guest shared the view that bilateral ties have developed vigorously in recent times in all areas from politics, security and national defence to economics, trade, education-training and science-technology based on the list of priority tasks set each year.

Mr Triet conveyed his best regards to President Dimitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and his invitation to President Medvedev to visit Vietnam.

Minister Lavrov said that both President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin acknowledged the positive developments of Russia-Vietnam relationship over the past years as well as President Triet’s contributions to such development. They all expressed their belief that the two countries will continue to effectively implement the agreements reached during Mr Triet’s visit to Russia in October 2008.

Minister Lavrov said that Russia and Vietnam should speed up negotiations on a cooperative agreement between their central banks to facilitate payments in economic and business activities in the context of the global economic recession.

He also said that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Vietnam are preparing for the upcoming visit to Hanoi by President Medvedev, scheduled for next year to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations.