Russian-Vietnamese trade to reach $3 bln by 2012

MOSCOW, December 21 (Itar-Tass) - Russian-Vietnamese trade turnover
will reach 3 billion US dollars by 2012, deputy director of the Asia and
Africa department of Russia's Ministry of Economic Development Yevgeny
Popov said at a conference at the Vietnamese Embassy here on Tuesday.
"The busy schedule of contacts between Moscow and Hanoi shows a
tremendous political potential," Popov said, "it's necessary to move the
positive experience to the financial plane."
Russia is hoping that two-way trade will reach 3 billion US dollars by
2012.
Popov also briefed the participants on the negotiations over free
trade between Vietnam and the Customs Union (Russia, Kazakhstan and
Belarus).
"It will considerably strengthen our investment interaction," the
official said, "of special importance is the fact that the governments are
paying close attention to the signing of the document."
Popov, as deputy chairman of the Russian part of the intergovernmental
Russian-Vietnamese commission urged the business circles to more actively
cooperate in the field of high technologies.
"Partnership should not be limited to the oil and gas sector or
agriculture," he underlined, "efforts are underway to set up regional
logistics centres of Vietnam and Russia."
Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Bui Dinh Dinh shared the optimism of
the Russian official. According to the republic's Ministry of Industry and
Trade, trade turnover between Vietnam and the Customs Union will exceed 10
billion US dollars by 2020.
"Of course, the level of business ties is still modest," the diplomat
said, but "there are tremendous opportunities. Our economies are not
rivals; they are partners."
-0-myz/kud