Hanoi (VNA) – Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich onJuly 7 visited the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre in Hanoi and offeredcongratulations to Russian experts there on the 75th anniversary of the victoryof the Great Patriotic War.

At the meeting with Minister Lich,Andrey Kuznetsov, General Director of the Russian side at the centre, saidunder the two Governments’ directions, the Vietnamese Ministry of NationalDefence, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education and theInter-governmental Committee on the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre havedeveloped this centre into a multi-sectoral scientific and technologicalresearch organisation for tropical issues like tropical materials science,tropical ecology, and tropical biomedicine.

It has also studied and provided scientific andtechnical support for the use and preservation of weapons and equipment ofmilitary arms and services, he noted.

Applauding the centre’s achievements, MinisterLich said the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre is the only bilateral cooperationmechanism of the former Soviet Union era that still exists at present, and itis a symbol of the sound and fruitful relations between Vietnam and the SovietUnion in the past and Russia today.

He also thanked the Russian Government for helpingthis centre to improve its infrastructure and scientific research capacity.

The official reiterated that the Vietnamesepeople and army always keep in mind the wholehearted and enormous assistancethat the Soviet Union and Russian people have given to Vietnam throughouthistory.

The Southeast Asian nation always attachesimportance to the enhancement of the traditional friendship and comprehensivestrategic partnership with Russia, and considers bilateral ties as one of theleading priorities in its foreign policy, he added.

Lich asked the centre to continue complying withthe Vietnamese Party, State, Central Military Commission and Defence Ministry’spolicies and guidelines on scientific and technological development, the twocountries’ agreement on the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre, and the protocolsamending this deal.

It should also expand cooperation and improvethe effectiveness of scientific and technological activities so as to serve theperformance of military, defence and socio-economic development tasks in bothcountries, he said.

The minister also called on the RussianGovernment to instruct its relevant ministries and sectors to step upactivities within the framework of this centre, and Russian experts to keepclose coordination with their Vietnamese colleagues to carry out effectivescientific and technological programmes.

On this occasion, the Defence Minister presentedmerit certificates to the centre, General Director of its Vietnamese side Maj.Gen. Dang Hong Trien, and General Director of the Russian sideAndrey Kuznetsov in recognition of their excellent attainments in thecountries’ scientific and technological cooperation./.