Hanoi (VNA) – The upcoming visit to Greece by Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh from July 1-2 will help open up a newdevelopment era for the two countries, with more and bigger cooperationopportunities to meet their potential and aspirations.

Thestatement was made by Ambassador of Vietnam to Greece Nguyen Manh Cuong in hisinterview to the Vietnamese media on the visit’s significance and the bilateralrelations.

Accordingto the diplomat, the visit is important for both sides. This is the second visitto Greece by a Vietnamese Foreign Minister in nearly 10 years, following thevisit to Vietnam by Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias in February2017.

Vietnamand Greece established the diplomatic ties in 1975. Since then, the traditionalfriendship relations have been maintained.

Beforethe public debt crisis in Greece in 2010, the two sides often exchanged high-rankingdelegations, including the official visit of Greece’s Prime Minister KostasKaramanlis in 2007, State President Nguyen Minh Triet’s official visit toGreece in 2008 and Greek President Karolos Papoulias’s official visit toVietnam in the same year.

Thepublic debt crisis made the two sides’ visits interrupted, but their goodrelationship remained and grew.

Thisvisit by FM Minh and that by his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias in 2017 haveoffered good chances for both sides to review their cooperation results and putforward new orientations, Cuong said.

Headded that the two countries have maintained the regular organisation ofpolitical consultation at the senior official level, and cultural andeducation-training exchange programmes.

Interms of economic ties, two-way trade has enjoyed growth, reaching 334 millionUSD in 2017, a year-on-year rise of 40 percent.

Thetwo nations have enhanced active cooperation and mutual support atinternational and regional multi-lateral forums such as the United Nations, ASEM,and the ASEAN-EU Forum.

Greecehas approved the signing of the EU-Vietnam Framework Agreement on ComprehensivePartnership and Cooperation (PCA) and advocate to soon ratifying the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Greece,as a member of the EU, has supported Vietnam to strengthen the relationshipwith the EU and hope to become a bridge for Vietnam in the relationship withthe EU.

Regardingthe relationship between Vietnam and Greece in the upcoming time, theAmbassador said that there a huge cooperation potential between the twonations.

WhileVietnam has become an attractive destination for foreign investors and hasadvantages of exporting agricultural products, garments and footwear, Greecehas taken the lead in maritime transport. 

Healso expressed his hope that once the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is signedand ratified, it will create a legal foundation and opportunity for bothcountries to boost bilateral trade.

Hesuggested both sides expand their collaboration in the time ahead.-VNA