Vietnam is consistent in the employment of multilateral and multifaceted diplomacy to enhance traditional partnerships with Balkan States, including Serbia, stated Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Ivica Dacic, Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

The PM made his remark at a reception for Ivica Dacic, Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Hanoi on September 8.

Underscoring the importance of his guest’s visit on the context of Vietnam and Serbia marking the 60th anniversary of relations establishment (1957-2017), Phuc said he believes the visit will help propel bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade to make the economic partnership between the two countries be on a par with their fruitful political ties.

He lauded practical contents discussed at a recent talk between Dacic and Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Vietnam Pham Binh Minh.

PM Phuc also urged both countries to increase people-people diplomacy and exchange of delegations at different levels, and to boost engagements between their ministries, localities and businesses. 

Noting that bilateral trade remains limited at 25 million USD in 2016, he stressed the need to assist Vietnamese and Serbian firms in cooperating and studying each other’s markets. 

Vietnam is willing to become a gateway for Serbia to reach Southeast Asian markets, Phuc stated.

For his part, Dacic reported to his guest outcomes of the talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, during which both sides agreed to stimulate trade partnerships.

Considering Vietnam-Serbia relations a longtime and traditional friendship, the diplomat said Serbians, despite geographical distance, want to increase multifaceted affiliations with Vietnamese.

He highlighted the necessity for both countries to support each other and work together at international forums, and to sign more cooperation agreements across sectors.

He proposed the sides improve defence relations and organise more visits of business delegations.

Vietnam, Serbia agree to build concrete cooperation framework

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and his Serbian counterpart, Ivica Dacic 

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Serbian counterpart, Ivica Dacic, have agreed to build a specific cooperation framework in order to boost bilateral collaboration in all fields, especially in economy, trade and investment. 

During their talks in Hanoi on September 8, the two officials also emphasised the need to increase political consultations and coordination between the foreign ministries of Vietnam and Serbia. 

More favourable conditions should be created to facilitate the penetration of Vietnam’s key exports such as seafood, garments-textiles, coffee and wooden products into Serbia and other Balkan countries, as well as the access of Serbian goods like foodstuff, equipment and machines to the Vietnamese and ASEAN markets, they said. 

Minh spoke highly of the signing of an agreement on double taxation avoidance and another on mutual recognition of the market economy status between Vietnam and Serbia. 

He suggested the two nations soon complete negotiations on an agreement on economic and trade cooperation in an effort to finalise the legal framework for bilateral economic, trade and investment ties. 

Minh highly evaluated Dacic’s official visit to Vietnam from September 7-11, stressing that this is the first visit to the Southeast Asian nation by a high-ranking Serbian leader since 1989.

The officials consented to intensify and expand cooperation in areas that the two countries have potentials, particularly culture, tourism, transport and national defence and security. 

Having hailed the effective collaboration at international forums and organisations between Vietnam and Serbia, they held that the two countries need to continue close coordination at multilateral institutions, especially within the framework of the UN. 

Minh used this occasion to thank Serbia for its support for Vietnam’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council during the 2020-2021 term. 

While discussing international and regional issues of mutual concern, the officials highlighted the significance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation, the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of respect for international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early completion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). 

VNA