Russia is eyeing the prospects for reestablishing a military presence in Vietnam, where a major Soviet naval base was once located, Russia's Tass news agency reported Friday, citing a senior defense official.

"We are working on this, we do see this problem," Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov was quoted as telling State Duma legislators when asked about the prospects for a return by the military to Vietnam, as well as to Cuba.

Tass reported that Aleksey Chepa, the deputy chairman of the State Duma's international affairs committee, has been pushing the idea.