#6
Russian naval base in Vietnam's Cam Ranh to close on May 4

MOSCOW. May 2 (Interfax) - In line with international agreements, the Russian naval base in Vietnam's Cam Ranh is to cease its existence within the next few days, aide to the Russian Navy commander-in-chief Igor Dygalo told Interfax on Thursday.

Russia completed handing over all facilities and installations at the base to Vietnam on May 2, he said.

The closure ceremony is scheduled for May 3-4. A high-ranking source with the Russian Defense Ministry in turn told Interfax that the Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrei Tatarinov and head of the transfer commission and chief of the Pacific Fleet administrative service Rear Adm. Alexander Ivliyev are expected to attend the ceremony.

On Thursday, the two sides signed a transfer certificate. The work on transferring the installations "was done in the traditional atmosphere of mutual understanding and absolute trust," Dygalo said.

After all formalities are observed, the last Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft remaining at the Cam Ranh airfield will take off to head for Vladivostok.

After that, the last servicemen from the airfield personnel will board the Sakhalin-9 diesel-electric ferry which will leave Cam Ranh on May 4.

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