Hanoi (VNA) ও– President To Lam hosted separate receptions for the new ambassadors of Nicaragua, Iceland, Turkmenistan and Cyprus who came to present their credentials in Hanoi on June 21.

꧅Receiving Nicaraguan Ambassador Mario Jose Armengol Campos, the President said that Vietnam welcomes Nicaragua's decision to open its embassy in Vietnam and wishes to strengthen and expand friendly relations and cooperation with the Central American country on the basis of traditional solidarity, the close points of view on international issues and common interests in national construction and development.

He highlighted the positive outcomes in bilateral economic-trade relations but also noted that there remains huge room for expanding cooperation. Thus, he asked the ambassador to continue to promote the development of the cooperation in the fields of both countries' strength such as science and technology, culture, education and climate change response. To make the Vietnam - Nicaragua friendship more substantive, the two countries should step up all-level mutual visits, maintain the political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries and continue to build legal frameworks to facilitate bilateral cooperation, he said. For his part, Campos pledged to coordinate with relevant agencies of Vietnam to foster friendship and cooperation in all spheres, including politics, economy, culture and tourism, as well as promote mutual understanding between the people of the two countries through people-to-people exchange activities.

At the reception for Icelandic Ambassador Thórir Isben, President Lam said he was delight at the fruitful friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Iceland in recent times on both bilateral and multilateral levels.

The host leader highly appreciated Iceland's role and contributions in free trade agreement negotiations between Vietnam and the EFTA bloc, holding that the early conclusion of talks and signing of the Vietnam-EFTA FTA will create a firm framework for economic-trade ties between Vietnam and the grouping in general and Iceland in particular.

▨He proposed that the two sides increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones, to strengthen political trust and discuss measures to promote bilateral cooperation in fields of mutual interest, especially trade and investment. The leader also wanted the two countries to enhance collaboration and mutual support at multilateral organisations and mechanisms, especially the United Nations.

He suggested the two countries step up collaboration in education and human resource training through signing cooperation documents, create conditions and provide scholarships for Vietnamese students to study and research at Icelandic universities and promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges to enhance mutual understanding. Ambassador Isben said breakthroughs in bilateral cooperation in education, fisheries, thermal power, noting his hope that such outcomes will be maintained and extended to other fields. He pledged to report to Icelandic Government to submit to the parliament for endorsing FTA negotiations with Vietnam, thereby promoting the growing economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Meeting Turkmenistan Ambassador Parakhat Durdyev, President Lam said that Vietnam always values the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Turkmenistan and wishes to promote practical collaboration with the Central Asian nation on a par with the good traditional relationship as well as the potential of the two countries. He suggested that the two countries continue to promote and strengthen delegation exchanges at all levels and contacts in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks to enhance trust and mutual understanding, creating a foundation for specific cooperation in the areas of strength of both sides. According to the President, to facilitate the exchange of delegations between the two countries, the two sides need to accelerate negotiations on an agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports. He expressed his belief that the diplomat, with his rich experience, will make many practical contributions to the relations between the two countries in the time to come.

Durdyev said he hopes to promote cooperation with Vietnam in gas exploitation in which Turkmenistan has potential, and that more Vietnamese businesses will invest in Turkmenistan, especially in the fields of transportation, logistics, and agriculture that Vietnam has strengths.

Receiving Cypriot Ambassador Evagoras Vryonides, President Lam called on both sides to coordinate to effectively take advantage of the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to promote bilateral trade exchange, creating conditions for economic recovery and growth and strengthen cooperation in areas where Cyprus has strengths and Vietnam has demand. On this occasion, he urged Cyprus to ratify the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to facilitate bilateral trade and investment exchange. He also asked for Cyprus's support for the removal of the EC's yellow card imposed on Vietnamese seafood. Noting that cooperation between the two countries is still modest compared to its potential, the President said that the two sides need to work together towards signing a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to lay the foundation for their cooperation in the fields of labour, education and double taxation avoidance. Vryonides affirmed that he will make utmost efforts during his tenure to help the cooperative relationship between Cyprus and Vietnam deepen and develop further, bringing the people of the two countries closer together for progress and the interests of each country./.