Vietnam, Russia promote friendship A programme of friendship and co-operation between the Union of Friendship Associations of Vietnam and Russia in the 2001-2002 period was signed on September 30 in Russia. This was during a visit by Mr Vu Xuan Hong, acting president of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations who led a Vietnamese delegation to Russia and attended activities to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Russian Union of International Co-operation Association (RUICA) and the Russian Centre for Scientific and Cultural Co-operation (RCSCC) from September 27-30. The visit was made at the invitation of Soviet cosmonaut Valentine Tereshkova, who is also RUICA president and RCSCC director. While in Russia, Mr Hong conveyed deepest condolences of the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Association and the Vietnam-Russian Friendship Association over the death of Mr German Titov, former honourary president of the Soviet-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Russian Federation's Friendship Association with Vietnam. The Vietnamese guests took part in an international conference on 'The Role of People' s Diplomacy and People's Organisations in the 21st Century' with the participation of representatives of Friendship Associations with Russia and with foreign countries from 60 countries in the world.
