Minsk (VNA)– Visiting President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang and President of BelarusAlexander Lukashenko held talks in Minsk on June 27, reiterating theirdetermination to make greater efforts to bring bilateral ties to the nextlevel.

President Tran Dai Quang stated that Vietnam has always attached importance tocementing and stepping up the traditional friendship and multi-dimensionalcooperation with Belarus.

For his part, President Alexander Lukashenko affirmed that his country alwaysconsiders Vietnam one of its important external priorities in Asia, hailingVietnam’s efforts in undertaking the hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic(APEC) Forum in 2017 and wishing the country to hold the APEC Yearsuccessfully.

The leaders showed their delight at positive developments in the countries’cooperation across the board and asserted their resolve to strengthen anddevelop the bilateral traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation in acomprehensive, practical and efficient manner to serve the respective benefits.

They agreed to maintain the regular exchange of all-level visits, especiallyhigh-ranking ones, to reinforce political trust along with boosting State,parliament, sector and locality links and collaboration at multilateral forumslike the United Nations and the Non-aligned Movement to protect theircountries’ interests and security, together striving for a world of peace,stability and prosperity.

The Presidents discussedand reached a consensus on an array of solutions to furthering the bilateraleconomic, trade and investment cooperation to match the sound political ties.

They noted the coordination to implement efficiently the free trade agreementbetween Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union and the Protocol on supportingthe production of motored transport vehicles in the territory of Vietnam, witha view to making a breakthrough in the bilateral economic and tradecooperation, supporting the effort to bring two-way trade to 500 million USD inthe next two years, along with studying possibilities to expand cooperation inagriculture which is still untapped by the two countries.

The two Presidents said they were glad that the two countries’ first vehiclemanufacturing joint venture is being set up and is expected to be operatingbefore yearend.

They agreed to continue efforts to carry out cooperation programmes in theeconomy, science, education and culture reached for 2016-2018; to deployefficiently defence-security affiliations; and to facilitate win-wincooperation between localities.

President Tran Dai Quang hailed Belarus for organizing Belarus Cultural Days inHanoi and Lao Cai in May and wished that both sides would conduct more culturaland sport exchange activities.

The leaders shared their high estimations of efforts made by both sides inmaking it easy for their citizens’ entry and exit and promoting tourism links.

The Vietnamese President expected that Belarus will continue helping theVietnamese community to integrate into its society and contribute actively instrengthening the friendship between the two peoples.

Regardinginternational issues, they shared common viewpoints on many regional and globalmatters, emphasizing the central role of the United Nations in safeguardinginternational peace and security and sustainable development, and deliveringtheir support for the organization in improving its operation efficiency.

President Alexander Lukashenko asserted his backing of Vietnam’s position ontackling territorial disputes, including those in the East Sea by peacefulmeasures without using force or threat to use force, with the participation ofall sides concerned. He said he welcomes efforts to soon achieve a Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC). 

He expressed hisbelief that the official visit to Belarus by President Quang will surely createa new impulse to the Vietnam-Belarus cooperation to grow robustly acrosssectors, thus providing a solid foundation for the bilateral ties to reach anew height, meeting their people’s aspiration and interest, for peace,stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

President Tran Dai Quang invited President Alexander Lukashenko to visitVietnam, which will be arranged via diplomatic channel.

Following the talks, the Presidents signed a joint statement on developing thepartnership between Vietnam and Belarus intensively and extensively.

They witnessed the signing of nine cooperative documents, including a Protocolon amending the Protocol between the Governments of Vietnam and Belarus onsupporting the production of motored transport vehicles in the territory ofVietnam, and those covering science and technology, military technology, sportand physical training, geology, and locality cooperation.-VNA