PM: Vietnam treasures traditional relations with Azerbaijan

The Government and people of Vietnam always attach importance to maintaining and strengthening traditional relations with Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told visiting Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on September 13.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and  Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov

PM Phuc lauded the positive outcomes of the earlier talks between Minister Mammadyarov and Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, particularly measures to boost the bilateral relationship.

The Azerbaijani Minister’s visit will open up a new chapter for cooperative ties in different fields between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, he said.

Having expressed his satisfaction about good political ties, PM Phuc said economic and trade relations remain modest, failing to meet expectations of both sides.

The two sides need to review their regulations and policies to remove difficulties and facilitate trade and investment ties, the PM said, underlining the important role of enterprises in the field.

The PM suggested the two sides continue exchanging delegations at all levels while maintaining and promoting the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technological Cooperation, saying that this cooperation mechanism is expected to help identify and promote cooperation in the fields of their forte, including energy, tourism, education and culture.

Vietnam is willing to export its key products to Azerbaijan, such as agricultural and aquatic products, computers and components, and import machines, equipment and spare parts, crude oil, and crud oil-based products from the country, he said.

For his part, Mammadyarov said the results of the talks with Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his working session with Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh showed that the two nations have been on the right track to enhance cooperative ties.

Highlighting the successful cooperation in the oil and gas sector, he said Azerbaijan will make greater efforts to boost cooperation with Vietnam in traditional fields and other potential spheres.

PM Phuc acknowledged the guest’s idea on a new sea shipping route, pledging that he will assign relevant agencies to study to the proposal soon.

Party official receives Azerbaijani Foreign Minister

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission Tran Quoc Vuong has affirmed that Vietnam always treasures traditional ties with Azerbaijan. 

During a reception in Hanoi on September 13 for Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Vuong hailed the visit on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. 

He expressed his delight at the development of ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the New Azerbaijan Party, and wished that both sides would continue striving to lift bilateral economic-trade ties to match political ties in the near future. 

Mammadyarov, for his part, informed the host about the outcomes of his working sessions with Vietnamese agencies. 

He assured the host that the Azerbaijani government attaches importance to ties with Vietnam and agreed to boost bilateral ties across economy, trade and transport. 

The guest also asked for collaboration to celebrate the 60th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s first Azerbaijan visit in 2019.

Seminar highlights 25 years of Vietnam-Azerbaijan ties

The 25-year history of Vietnam–Azerbaijan diplomatic relationship and prospects for bilateral ties were the main themes of a conference in Hanoi on September 13 on the occasion of the visit by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.  

In his opening speech, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said he was proud of Azerbaijan’s support for Vietnam in education-training and oil and gas. 

He said there is great potential for bilateral cooperation and suggested that the two countries should expand economic and trade ties.  

Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, for his part, said Vietnam always gives priority to developing ties with traditional friends, with Azerbaijan among them. 

According to him, the two countries hold huge potential of working together in energy, agriculture, tourism and education, while the bilateral partnership in oil and gas should be made the spearhead of their economic cooperation. 

Participants agreed that Vietnam and Azerbaijan enjoyed a traditional friendship dating back to the time of the Soviet Union. 

Entering a new stage, the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992, and since then, they have seen their relations thriving via the regular exchange of high-level visits, the signing and effective implementation of cooperation agreements and mutual support at regional and global forums. 

Two-way trade recently saw encouraging improvement, hitting 114 million USD in the first half of 2017, doubling that recorded in same period last year. There remains room for collaboration across energy, agriculture, education and tourism. 

Participants proposed ideas to further increase bilateral ties in politics, economy, trade, investment, energy and legal affairs. 

They shared the view that with the determination of two countries’ leaders and peoples, bilateral friendship and multifaceted cooperation will further propel forward to meet their aspirations.

Vietnam, Azerbaijan discuss ways for stronger cooperation

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov have discussed measures to further boost multifaceted cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the potential fields of oil and gas, education, culture and tourism.

During their talks in Hanoi as part of the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister’s visit to Vietnam from September 12-15, Minh said Vietnam always attaches importance to developing cooperative ties with traditional friends, including Azerbaijan. 

He spoke highly of the achievements that the Azerbaijani people have obtained during the process of national modernisation and development, helping Azerbaijan strengthen its role in the international arena.

For his part, Mammadyarov praised Vietnam’s successes in socio-economic development and international integration and affirmed that the Azerbaijani government wants to further enhance cooperation with Vietnam. 

The ministers agreed to continue increasing the exchange of visits at all levels and speed up negotiations to soon sign agreements on investment and mutual recognition of product quality, thus completing the legal basis for bilateral partnership. 

They expressed their delight at the steady growth of two-way trade in recent years, which hit 104 million USD in 2016 and surged to 114 million USD in the first half of this year. 

The ministers welcomed the successful organisation of the first meeting of the Vietnam-Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Committee for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technological Cooperation in January 2017, and vowed to continue upholding the efficiency of this cooperation mechanism. 

They held that the foreign ministries of Vietnam and Azerbaijan should continue cooperating and coordinating effectively by holding regular dialogues and consultations on issues of mutual concern. 

On regional and global issues, the ministers shared a view that territorial disputes must be settled through peaceful measures in line with international law, thus contributing to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

VNA