Back in the 1960s the current President of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang regularly listened to the Moscow Radio Broadcast, which was the former name of the Voice of Russia. This fact emerged in his exclusive interview with our commentator Alexei Lensov that took place at the President’s meeting with Vietnam’s Russian friends in the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Moscow on July 26.
Voice of Russia: Mr. President, have you ever listened to broadcasts from Moscow in Vietnamese?
Truong Tan Sang: I belong to the generation that, during the years of the American aggression, took up arms and fought on the fronts of South Vietnam for freedom and independence of our Motherland. Back then, all of us were regularly listening to the Moscow radio transmission. And I must say that the Voice of Russia, or using its former name of Moscow Radio, was of great importance to the soldiers in the South, and in all Vietnam. Your broadcast confirmed that Russia, then the Soviet Union, was on our side regarding our most crucial and severe struggle. They confirmed that your country was helping us not only materially and morally, but also by means of spreading the truth about Vietnam all over the world through broadcasts from Moscow.
VOR: How do you estimate the current state and development prospects of the relations between our countries?
Truong Tan Sang: Vietnam and Russia are united by traditional friendship. In the past your country helped us during the worst war in the history of Vietnam. Today, Russia is helping us to build and develop our country. We believe friendship with Russia to be eternal and unshakable. Our countries are tied by strategic partnership. And in the course of this visit we intend to discuss with Russian officials the issues of further expansion and deepening of our partnership, so that in the 21st century it reaches an even higher level – a level of comprehensive partnership.
VOR: Recently, mass media of different countries put forward various assumptions concerning the future of the port of Cam Ranh, which had served as a post of military and technical support of the Soviet, and later Russian military ships for several decades. What is the future of this port in your opinion?
Truong Tan Sang: After your country liquidated its military presence there, Vietnam has taken the port of Cam Ranh completely under its control. One part of it is used for military and technical purposes, the other for purposes of economic development of the Republic. We do not intend to cooperate with any country in order use Cam Ranh in military purposes. Vietnam is the only owner of its land. We plan to turn Cam Ranh into a repair and servicing base for vessels of all countries that enter this port. As far as Russia is concerned, we have a long history of cooperation and strategic partnership with this country. This partnership will develop in the future. Therefore, we are going to grant Russia advantages in Cam Ranh, including the development of military cooperation. But I want to stress again: Cam Ranh is a Vietnamese port.