Hanoi (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang hasgranted an interview to press agencies of Russia and Belarus on the occasion ofhis upcoming official tour to the two countries, during which he stressed thatpotential to develop cooperation between Vietnam and the two countries has yetto be tapped fully. Regarding the Vietnam-Belarus relations, he said thetime-honoured friendship between the two countries, the political trust anddetermination of their leaders, and the recent positive outcomes of bilateralcooperation provide a firm foundation for the bilateral relations to reach anew height and meet interests of both peoples. According to the President, important economic-tradeagreements that already took effect, such as the free trade agreement betweenVietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Vietnam-Belarus protocolsupporting production of engine-powered vehicles in Vietnam, will create abreakthrough in the two sides’ economic, trade and investment cooperation. Assessing achievements in the Vietnam-Russiarelations, the Vietnamese State leader emphasised that after the establishmentof diplomatic ties in 1950, the two countries became strategic partners in 2001and upgraded their relation to comprehensive strategic partnership in July2012. Throughout the past 65 years, bilateral politicalties have been strengthened continuously through the regular exchange ofall-level delegations and the mechanisms of consultation and strategic dialogue. Economic and trade ties have developed rapidly,while cooperation in defence security, science and technology, education andtraining, culture and tourism have been intensified. Cultural exchange activities have been stepped up aswell, helping strengthen mutual understanding between the two peoples, headded. To develop the Vietnam-Russia comprehensivestrategic partnership in the coming time, President Quang said the twocountries should continue to enhance political trust and push ahead withcooperation in the key fields of trade, energy, defense-security,education-training, and science-technology, as well as other arenas such ashigh technology and new materials. The President highly valued the EAEU-Vietnam freetrade agreement (FTA) and expressed his belief that the effectiveimplementation of this pact will create new momentum to increase the bilateraltrade to 10 billion USD by 2020. He noted that the FTA is strategically important asit creates a legal framework and favourable conditions to develop Vietnam’strade and economic cooperation with the EAEU in general and each member nationin particular. This is the first agreement that the EAEU has signedwith an extra-bloc country and the first of its kind that Vietnam has struckwith a big promising common market comprising of five countries, namely Russia,Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, with a total gross domesticproduct (GDP) of 2.2 trillion USD and 183-strong population, he said. After the agreement takes effect, trade betweenVietnam and Russia is expected to increase by 18-20 percent per year on averageto reach 10-12 billion USD in 2020, he added. The FTA also offers brilliant opportunities forVietnam and Belarus to develop trade and economic relations as it will abolish90 percent of tax lines, equivalent to 90 percent of bilateral trade turnover. President Tran Dai Quang will pay official visits toBelarus and Russia from June 26 to July 1.-VNA