National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Phong showed her gratitude to the Russian government and people for helping Vietnam in the past struggle for national liberation and during the current period of development while meeting Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko and Vice-Speaker Ilyas Umakhanov, and during talks with First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Ivan Melnikov.
Speaker Matviyenko said relations with Vietnam are a priority of Russia in the Asian-Pacific region, in which co-operation between the NA and the Federation Council is an important part of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. At the meetings, both sides agreed that the legislative bodies will soon ratify and co-ordinate in supervising the implementation of agreements to boost bilateral ties and lift two-way trade to US$10 billion by 2020. NA Vice Chairwoman Phong will deliver a speech at the first Asian-European Women’s Forum in St. Petersburg./.
