(VOV) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev said his visit aims to foster the bilateral strategic partnership and friendly relationship with Vietnam.

Medvedev said this at an interview granted to Vietnamese media in Russia prior to a two-day official visit to Vietnam that will start on Tuesday. The Prime Minister revealed that one of the priorities of his talks with the Vietnamese leaders is enhancing economic and trade cooperation. The leaders will discuss a Russian – Vietnam cooperation mechanism, and other issues of mutual concern. Medvedev responded to a question regarding bilateral cooperation in petroleum. "Our countries have a bright prospect for petroleum cooperation. We should expand our cooperation to high technology and energy and fuel supply. The world is changing and both Russia and Vietnam are interested in high technology in energy generation. Besides exchanging finished products and semi-finished products such as oil and gas, we should work together in energy and fuel processing. In the future, Russia can supply Vietnam with liquefied gas from our factories operating in Siberia and the Far East," Medvedev said.

Vietnam will soon begin negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the Belarus-Kazakhstan-Russia Customs Union, which Medvedev said will be a productive cooperation forum for the 4 nations. He said Russia will import more goods from Vietnam when Vietnam joins the FTA.

This will be Medvedev’s second visit to Vietnam. The first was in 2010 as was Russian President.