The General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army and the Main Directorate for Political-Military Affairs of the Russian Armed Forces have signed a letter of intent and assigned relevant agencies of the two sides to build a Memorandum of Understanding on the bilateral cooperation.

The signing took place after talks between visiting General Luong Cuong, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, and Director of the General Department of Politics, and Sen.Lieut.Gen Andrey Kartapolov, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of Main Directorate for Political-Military Affairs Andrey Kartapolov in Moscow on June 19.

The two sides discussed issued relating to the reinforcement of trust and long-term strategy in the bilateral defence cooperation in various fields, especially the education of political ideology.

General Cuong invited Andrey Kartapolov to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. The host accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Earlier, General Cuong met with General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, and first Deputy Defence Minister.

He affirmed that Vietnam always remembers the valuable assistance of Russia in the cause of national independence and building.

Vietnam also attaches great importance to the traditional relations with Russia and will do its utmost to nurture the bilateral ties, including the defence partnership, he added.

General Cuong is paying official visits to Russia and Belarus from June 18-26.

While in Russia, he laid a wreath at the monument dedicated to late President Ho Chi Minh in Moscow and met with Russian war veterans in the Vietnam war, among other activities.