Thứ Bảy, 27/05/2017, 22:34 (GMT+7)
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Portugal eyes strengthened ties with Vietnam

Portugal attaches significant importance to, and wishes to deepen, the friendship and cooperation, including legislative ties, with Vietnam, President of the Portuguese Parliament Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues told visiting Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

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President of the Portuguese Parliament Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

During their meeting on May 25, as part of the Vietnamese official’s ongoing visit to Portugal, the two sides expressed their pleasure in the development of their friendship and cooperation which has flourished in recent times, and agreed to forge an exchange of visits and meetings at all levels, aimed at effectively and extensively promoting the bilateral ties.

Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues appreciates the role and position of Vietnam in the Southeast Asian region, asserting that the Portuguese parliament backs an all-around cooperation with Vietnam, especially through economic, trade, cultural and tourism links.

Portugal is also willing to share its experiences in law-making and supervision with the Vietnamese National Assembly, as well as supporting the signing and approval of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement, he stated.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese official spoke highly of the role of Portugal in the EU as well as their role in addressing common issues within the international community.

The two nations should continue supporting each other at multilateral forums such as the UN, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the EU-ASEAN cooperation mechanism, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP), he suggested.

He asked Portugal’s parliament to assist and encourage Portuguese enterprises to expand their business and investments in Vietnam, affirming that Vietnam always strives to create favourable conditions for foreign firms.

Regarding East Sea-related issues, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues stressed the maintenance of peace, stability, and navigation and over-flight safety and freedom, as well as a peaceful settlement of disputes in the sea, an area of great interest to the international community, including his country.

The Vietnamese official called on the Portuguese parliament to contribute its voice for peace, and security in the Southeast Asian region and the East Sea, and enhance its stance on the exchange and coordination of these issues at international forums, contributing to retaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Deputy PM Minh passed on National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s invitation to visit Vietnam to the host.

(Source: NDO)

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