The Vietnamese and Russian presidents discussed measures for deepening the two countries’ strategic partnership and boosting bilateral cooperation in economics, technology, education and energy. They affirmed Vietnam and Russia will cooperate closely in APEC and other international forums.

Mr Triet said that as President of ASEAN in 2010, Vietnam will do its utmost for the Russia-ASEAN high-level meeting in Hanoi.

Meanwhile, Mr Medvedev said the recent cooperation between Vietnam and Russia has developed dynamically in all fields and at all levels. He voiced his strong support for Vietnam’s ASEAN presidency in 2010, saying he would join Vietnam to promote the Russia-ASEAN dialogue.

During his meeting with Microsoft’s Craig Mundie, President Triet said Vietnam is trying to access the world’s leading information technology, including that produced by Microsoft. He said he would ask Vietnam’s related agencies to cooperate effectively with Microsoft in facilitating the projects in this field.

The Vietnamese leader also said Vietnam highly values the role of Siemens and hails its efforts to expand investment in the country.

He told Siemens CEO Peter Loscher that the German firm could help Ho Chi Minh City with 300-400km of underground railways to tackle its traffic congestion.

Mr Loscher emphasized that Germany has had fine political and economic ties with Vietnam and Siemens has established close and long relations with Vietnamese partners. He told Mr Triet that both the government and the Bundestag (parliament) of Germany support the project to build the metro system in Ho Chi Minh City.

Also on November 14, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem met with his Indonesian and Peruvian counterparts./.