KWIC news Moscow October 15 It is very clear that Russia is trying to regain its political impact on Vietnam, North Korea, and the other southeast Asian countries by means of weapon sales and the export of its military scientists and technical experts. By the year 2000, Russia will have provided Vietnam with twenty-six SU27 fighter planes. At present, Russia takes vigorous action to promote its SU30 series and MiG29M fighter planes to Vietnam. In reciprocation, Russia continues to use the Cam Ranh Bay naval base until the year 2004. About 500 Russian military technical personnel are now stationed at the Cam Ranh Bay, engaging in the activities of monitoring China. Two F1 x 2 monitoring systems with a high frequency are set there with the monitoring range of 2800 kilometers, covering the missile base of China's 2nd Artillery in Jian Shui of Yunnan Province.

In addition, the diplomatic source also emphasizes that Russia is also in the process of rapidly regaining its impact on North Korea. For the first time, the same source reveals that after the cold-war period, North Korea has now proposed a definite request to Russia for the purchase of military weapons, especially the naval equipment. "Considering its diplomatic relationship with South Korea, Russia reacts prudently to this issue".

In September this year, the second day after North Korea launched its satellite, Moscow immediately declared its recognition that North Korea had launched a satellite. Moscow might have received certain information prior to the satellite launch.

Obviously, Moscow is trying to regain its political impact on North Korea, Vietnam, and India through military assistance. When Primakov was the foreign minister, Russia worked out the so-called "Orient Policy", confirming that as one of the Asian/Pacific rim countries, Russia should participate and involve itself in the Asian/Pacific geopolitics.

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