Vietnamese, Venezuelan Presidents hold talks

President Truong Tan Sang reiterated Vietnam’s interest in deepening ties with Venezuela to benefit the two peoples during his talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros in Hanoi on August 31.

The talks took place immediately following the official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

Vietnam backs Venezuela’s constitutional government led by President Nicolas Maduro Moros, said the host, adding that he believes Venezuelans will overcome challenges and reap new successes moving forward.

The guest expressed his desire to learn about Vietnam’s development experiences and stated that Venezuela continually considers Vietnam a significant partner and is eager to further bilateral ties.

Both leaders agreed to maintain and improve the efficiency of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Cooperation and political consultations between the two foreign ministries.

They will direct ministries and agencies to gradually fine-tune legal frameworks through negotiating and signing deals in specific areas while facilitating business operations across energy, oil and gas, agriculture and fisheries.

Both host and guest welcomed the signing of an agreement on agriculture projects for 2015-2018 during the visit, laying a legal framework to launch three projects on food production, aquaculture and animal breeding in Venezuela.

They also confirmed their support for joint work across the manufacturing and processing industry, infrastructure and social housing, construction materials and electrical appliances.

The Venezuelan side pledged its continued assistance to an oil-and-gas venture between the two national oil and gas groups in the country.

As trade remains below 100 million USD per year, they concurred to directing ministries and agencies to lift the figure to 1-2 billion USD or upwards in the next three years.

Venezuela is ready to be a bridge linking Vietnam with 19 Caribbean countries home to an 80-million population and members of the PetroCaribe – an oil alliance of Caribbean states with Venezuela, the guest said.

Both host and guest promised to foster national defence-security collaboration by facilitating experience sharing and training, as well as gave a nod to enhanced relationship between the two Parties, legislatures and socio-political organisations.

They expressed their satisfaction with the current close mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and South-South cooperation mechanism.

On the occasion, President Nicolas Maduro Moros informed his host that Venezuela backs Vietnam’s bid for a seat at the UN Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 tenure.

The Vietnamese leader, in return, promised a close partnership with Venezuela and other member states to successfully host the NAM Summit slated for the first half of 2016 in Venezuela.

On regional and global issues of shared interest, the two sides shared the view that sovereignty and territorial disputes should be settled by peaceful means and in accordance with international laws, particularly the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.-

Party leader welcomes Venezuelan President

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on August 31 received Venezuelan President and President of Venezuela’s United Socialist Party Nicolas Maduro Moros who stated that his country is keen on boosting friendship and all-round ties with Vietnam.

The Venezuelan leader suggested that both sides increase exchanges of delegations at all levels, strengthening relations between the two parties, and forging more effective economic and trade cooperation, especially in areas of each other’s potential and strength.

He also underlined the need to continue mutual support at regional and international forums, including the United Nations.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong lauded outcomes of the guest’s talks and meetings with President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong.

He affirmed that Vietnam always treasures ties with traditional friends, including Venezuela, while expressing his belief that Venezuela will overcome all challenges to build a peaceful and prosperous country.

He said in the coming time, the two sides should work more closely for stronger relationship between the two Parties, States and peoples by exchanging delegations, sharing of information and experience, and enhancing the efficiency of cooperation activities, especially in energy, oil and gas, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.-

Prime Minister meets Venezuelan President

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has assured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros that the Vietnamese government will do its best to materialise agreements reached by the two countries’ leaders.

During their meeting in Hanoi on August 31, the PM hailed the visit as a milestone to lift bilateral ties to a greater height and believed that the Venezuelan government would overcome challenges and lead the country forward on its chosen road.

He also spoke highly of the outcomes of the guest’s talks with President Truong Tan Sang, held on the same day.

The guest emphasised that Venezuela attaches special importance to cooperation with Vietnam in diverse areas, saying that ties between the two nations will expand in the near future.

Nicolas Maduro Moros expressed his strong support for Vietnam ’s foreign policy and position on regional and global affairs, including the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means and in line with international law, as well as Vietnam ’s bid for membership at UN organisations.

Host and guest agreed to push forward joint efforts across oil and gas, energy, consumer goods, housing, agriculture and fisheries; maintain meetings of the Inter-Governmental Committee to share information; step up the implementation of signed agreements; and negotiate new deals.

They targeted 1 billion USD in trade in the coming years.

Venezuela is ready to facilitate Vietnamese business operations and welcome investors to the country to seek opportunities, President Maduro Moros said, adding that he wants Vietnam to be a major supplier of daily necessities to Venezuela, 85 percent of which are currently imports.-

NA Vice Chairwoman welcomes Venezuelan President

National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong held a reception on August 31 for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros, who is on an official visit to Vietnam.

Phong told her guest that Vietnam attaches special importance to its friendship with Venezuela, expressing her belief that the Venezuelan President’s visit will help deepen relations between the two countries’ legislative bodies and peoples while opening up new cooperative prospects for the bilateral ties as well as regional and international collaboration.

Vietnam continually bears in mind the valuable support of Venezuelan people to the country’s past struggle for independence, freedom and national reunification and the current cause of national construction and development, she affirmed.

The NA Vice Chairwoman lauded the enhanced bilateral relations with trade reaching 62.7 million USD in 2014. She suggested the two countries step up their cooperation in such areas as oil and gas, agriculture, energy and technology.

Expressing positive impressions of the land and people of Vietnam, the Venezuelan President said this is his first official visit to the Southeast Asian nation since he took office.

The guest noted his hope that the two countries’ friendship parliamentarians groups would boost affiliations, thus contributing to forging bilateral relations and legislative ties in particular.

Vietnam, Venezuela forge stronger partnership

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with visiting Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez in Hanoi on August 31, during which both sides affirmed to closely collaborate in promoting bilateral cooperation, especially in energy, oil and gas, agriculture and aquatic farming.

Deputy PM Minh stated that Vietnam constantly supports the constitutional government of President Nicolas Maduro Moros, expressing his belief that the Venezuelan people will overcome difficulties and achieve successes in their national construction.

PM Rodriguez, who is also Vice President of the Venezuelan State oil and gas corporation PDVSA, pledged to continue supporting the two countries’ joint ventures in Venezuela by removing obstacles.

She also expressed her hope that the Vietnamese Government would pay more attention to the prompt implementation of cooperation projects in agriculture, seafood and animal breeding in her country.

Both sides agreed that bilateral ties are growing, evidenced by fruitful outcomes during visits of senior leaders of each country.

They affirmed to regularly maintain and enhance the efficiency of political consultations between the two Foreign Ministries, aiming to forge stronger bilateral partnerships in various fields.

On multilateral cooperation, both sides shared similarities in positions of regional and global issues of shared interest.

They confirmed to continue fostering coordination at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and South-South Cooperation.

Deputy PM Minh also thanked Venezuela for backing Vietnam during the country’s bid for seats at international organisations. He vowed that Vietnam will work closely with Venezuela in organising the Non-Aligned Movement Summit slated for Venezuela in 2016.