Riga (VNA) – Latvia wants to strengthen multifacetedcooperation with Vietnam, particularly between the two legislatures, Speaker ofthe Latvian Parliamentary Assembly of Inara Munierce has said. 

During her meeting with visiting Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi NgocThinh in Riga on October 20, Munierce said the two nations should increase theexchange of delegations at all level and boost cooperation in potential fieldssuch as information technology and education-training.

She suggested Latvia and Vietnam enhance cooperation in preventingillegal immigration and applauded the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-VietnamFree Trade Agreement (EVFTA), expressing her hope that the agreement will besigned soon.

For her part, Thinh affirmed that Vietnam attaches significance to thetraditional friendship between the two countries and wants to beef up multifacetedcooperation with Latvia, including relations between the two parliaments.

She suggested the two sides discuss and soon sign agreements oneducational cooperation, visa exemptions for diplomatic passport holders and aviation,among others to create a legal framework for bilateral cooperative ties.

Thinh called on the Latvian Parliamentary Assembly to create favourableconditions for overseas Vietnamese in Latvia, thus helping them to promotetheir role as a bridge to connect bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, investment,education-training, culture and tourism.

During a working session with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkievics,Thinh spoke highly of strides in the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperationbetween the two nations, particularly in economy and trade.

She suggested the two sides jointly deploy measures to boost bilateral cooperationin politics-diplomacy, economy-trade, education-training, and science-technology.

Rinkievics welcomed Thinh’s visit on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Vietnam-Latvia diplomatic ties, and agreed with the latter’sproposal to increase delegation exchanges between the two States andGovernments in order enhance mutual understanding.

Latvia and Vietnam should support their enterprises in trade and tourismpromotion activities, while beef up cultural and people-to-people exchanges, hesaid.

Rinkievics expected that Latvia will be one of the first EU nations toratify the EVFTA, considering it as a key factor to boost economic-tradecooperation between Vietnam and the EU in general, and Latvia in particular.

The two sides agreed to support each other at international forums,particularly the United Nations and to sign an agreement on educationalcooperation on the sidelines of the ASEMEducation Ministers’ Meeting in the Republic ofKorea in November 2017.

They consented to negotiate agreements on visa exemption for diplomaticpassport holders and reception of returned citizens.

Vietnam and Latvia also agreed to strengthen cooperation in combatingtransnational criminals, and share experience in joining the UN peacekeeping forceas well as search and rescue operations.-VNA