Russia, Vietnam sign energy deals
RUSSIA: Russia and Vietnam on Monday signed oil and gas deals after
trade talks in Moscow between the countries’ presidents, as part of a
broader effort by Russia to regain Soviet-era influence in the region.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hailed growing economic ties
between the two countries and said he hoped trade could grow almost
seven-fold to 10 billion dollars (eight billion euros) in the coming
years.
“We secured important agreements in a number of spheres... above all
in fuel and energy,” Medvedev said at a joint Kremlin press conference
with Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet after the trade talks.
Among the deals signed was an agreement between Russian state energy
companies Gazprom and Zarubezhneftegaz and Vietnamese company
Petrovietnam to develop energy fields off the coast of Vietnam.
The companies also formed a new energy joint venture, Gazpromviet.
In addition, Russian aluminium producer Rusal signed a memorandum of
understanding with Vietnamese company An Vien to build an alumina
refinery in South Vietnam with a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per
year. While trade between Russia and Vietnam has grown in recent years,
Russia’s clout in the Southeast Asian country is still a shadow of
Soviet-era levels.
Moscow, Thursday, AFP
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