Vietnam always respectfully and sincerely thanks the Communist Party, State and people of Cuba for their solidarity and support for Vietnam’s struggle for liberation, national unity and reunification, as well as current construction and defence.

Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General To Lam made the remarks during his meeting with First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, President of the Council of State and the President of the Council of Ministers Raul Castro in Havana on November 28.

Lam expressed his thanks to President Raul Castro for his leadership in facilitating the Cuban Ministry of the Interior and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to work closely and effectively in the fight against crime, ensuring the security and order of each country.

He expressed his pleasure and appreciation at the great achievements made by the Cuban people in the cause of building and developing the country.

Lam stressed that cooperation between the police forces of the two countries continues to be strengthened and developed across sectors of security, police, force building, logistics and engineering.

Both sides agreed to assess the results of cooperation in the past and the direction for the future to ensure national security and maintenance of social order and safety in each country, contributing to promoting the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties, states and people, Lam said.

President Raul Castro welcomed Lam and his delegation to Cuba, saying that the visit would make an important contribution to promoting the traditional friendship between the two parties, states, peoples and police forces in the two countries.

The President also sincerely thanked the Party, State, Government and people of Vietnam for their solidarity, loyalty, support and timely assistance to Cuba.

He appreciated Vietnam’s experience in all areas, especially in the fight against crime, keeping security and order.

He suggested that the two sides should continue to promote collaboration, contributing significantly to furthering their traditional friendship.

A day earlier, Minister Lam and his entourage held talks with a delegation of the Cuban Ministry of Inferior, whose minister had sent the invitation for its visit to the country. 

At the talks, both sides agreed to increase exchanges of delegations at different levels. They stressed the necessity of sharing information and experiences on internal political security, prevention of plots threatening social orders, and tourism-related crime amid integration.

They said their joint projects in the coming time would focus on professional skills, fighting against organised crime, hi-tech crime, trans-border crime, terrorism, human trafficking, and commercial and tourism crime.

They agreed to consider negotiation and signing of agreements on extradition, transfer of convicts, and mutual legal assistance on criminal matters.

The sides vowed to support one another at multilateral forums, particularly those on anti-terrorism and anti-illegal immigration. They agreed with mutual assistance in signing, joining, and implementing international commitments that they are member of.

At the end of the meeting, Minister To Lam and Cuban Minister of the Inferior César Gandarilla Bermejo signed a cooperation pact between the two ministries. 

During its visit, Minister Lam and his entourage paid tribute to late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh at Peace Park in Havana and to Cuban national heroes Jose Marti and Fidel Castro at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba.-VNA