The ongoing visit to Cuba by a high-level Vietnamese military delegation from June 1-7 is a chance for the two countries to strengthen ties in various fields, including defence.

General Ngo Xuan Lich (R) and General Raul Castro

General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, made the remark at a meeting with General Raul Castro, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers, in Havana on July 6.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State, government, people and army, Lich thanked his Cuban counterparts for supporting Vietnam in the cause of national liberation, reunification, building and safeguarding.

Castro expressed his belief that the Vietnamese military delegation’s visit will boost relations between the two countries’ Parties, States, peoples and armed forces.

After a welcome ceremony on June 5, Minister Ngo Xuan Lich had talks with Sen. Lieut. Gen. Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR).

Lich said his visit aims to enhance cooperation that the two sides agreed to during the trip to Vietnam by Leopoldo Cintra Frias in March 2017 to deepen bilateral defence ties.

The two ministers agreed to actively implement cooperation agreements to reinforce friendship, mutual trust, and close-knit ties between Vietnamese and Cuban people and armed forces.

They also exchanged measures to boost collaboration in fields of their strength, especially training, medical military, defence industry and logistics.

Both sides decided to promote high-level delegation exchanges and share experience in building the army and cooperation plan for 2017-2019 as a foundation to implement bilateral defence agreements.

After talks, the two ministers witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Cuban department of counter-intelligence under the MINFAR and the army security protection department under the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence.

VNA