Panorama of Azerbaijan's capital Baku. (Source: AFP)

Could you tell us about the prospects for the traditionally good relations between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, especially the impetus from the upcoming visit of General Secretary To Lam?

In May 2025, at the invitation of the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and Belarus, General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-ranking delegation of the Party and State of Vietnam, visited the above four countries.

What is very special is that all four of these countries were members of the former Soviet Union. This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, in fact, the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations with each of these countries.

Each country has its own mark, however, it can be said that the Azerbaijani people and the Azerbaijani Government in the past and present have had very friendly and traditional relations with the Vietnamese people.

Looking back, Uncle Ho had visited Baku before the Soviet Union was founded in 1920. That was a milestone. Later, when Vietnam officially established relations with the Soviet Union in 1959, Uncle Ho made official visits to a series of Soviet Union republics, including Azerbaijan.

Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi. (Source: VNA)

During his stay, he visited industrial establishments, farms, met with the people, and met with the leaders of Azerbaijan.

Until now, during my visits and work in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani people still recall the image of Uncle Ho visiting Azerbaijan in 1959.

The first President of the Republic of Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Soviet Union was Heydar Aliyev, who visited Vietnam in 1983 when he was a member of the Politburo and Permanent Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Union.

He attended the inauguration ceremony of Thang Long Bridge and has special feelings for Vietnam. His son, current President Illam Aliyev, often recalls his father's visit to Vietnam.

Another thing to note is that during his visit to Azerbaijan, Uncle Ho visited the oil and gas facility of Azerbaijan Petroleum University and asked the Soviet Union to help Vietnam develop the oil and gas industry after Vietnam's reunification.

That's right, after 1975, assigned by the Central Government of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan focused on training many Vietnamese students.

I know that there are about 5,000 Vietnamese students who have studied in Baku, of which 2,000 are students majoring in the oil and gas industry. These are very important individuals when Vietnam established the Vietsovpetro Joint Venture. Another very coincidental thing is that the first General Director of the Vietsovpetro Joint Venture was Azerbaijani.

This visit by General Secretary To Lam is the highest-level visit by a Vietnamese Party and State leader to Azerbaijan since the establishment of official diplomatic relations between the two countries, and will contribute to further strengthening bilateral relations, especially in sectors where Azerbaijan has strengths, such as the oil and gas industry and many others.

Recently, Azerbaijan has opened up very strongly, this could be a very good gateway for Vietnam to further develop relations with Central Asian countries, and even with European countries. Vietnam is also ready to be a bridge for Azerbaijan to strengthen relations with East Asian countries.

With the traditional friendship between the two countries, I firmly believe that General Secretary To Lam's visit to Azerbaijan will elevate the bilateral relationship to a new height, in line with the interests and aspirations of the people of the two countries, further contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the world.

Thank you very much Ambassador!