Pacific Fleet ships to call at Vietnam's port of Da Nang.

18/6 Tass 160

VLADIVOSTOK , June 18 (Itar-Tass) -- A squadron of ships of the
Pacific Fleet (PF), which were patrolling the Gulf of Aden, are directing
on Thursday for the Vietnamese port of Da Nang to make a business call at
it.

The program of the four-day visit, which will begin on Friday,
includes visits to "city authorities, the command of the Fifth Military
District and the Third Naval Region of Vietnam. Volleyball and football
matches with colleagues from the People's Army of Vietnam, wreath-laying
ceremonies at monuments and excursions to the PF ships for residents of Da
Nang are also planned," ITAR-TASS learnt at the information and public
relations service of the fleet.
On June 23, the squadron of PF ships will leave Da Nang and direct for
Vladivostok where it is to arrive at in early July.
The PF squadron consisting of the big antisubmarine ship Admiral
Panteleyev, the tankers Izhora and Irkut, as well as the sea tug MB-37 had
participated in the international mission on combating pirates in the Gulf
of Aden since April. Over this time, the PF ships ensured the passage of
more than 40 vessels of different countries through dangerous waters and
repulsed several attacks on civilian vessels.
At present, the formation of the third squadron of ships, which is to
spend over one month in one of the most alarming regions of the Indian
Ocean, is coming to an end.
According to the tradition, PF ships pay friendly visits to Vietnam
where the biggest base of the Russian Navy abroad had been located in Cam
Ranh during 23 years.