Hanoi (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang’svisit to Italy and the Vatican lastweek were a success, affirming the determination of both sides to forgestronger Vietnam-Italy ties, stated Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Thediplomat said that the two sides agreed to maintain regular exchanges ofhigh-ranking delegations and existing cooperation mechanisms among ministriesand sectors, including deputy ministerial dialogues between the two countries’ Ministriesof Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Thetwo sides pledged to work together in implementing a plan of action to carryout the bilateral strategic partnership in 2017-2018 as well as affiliation programmessigned during the visit, while improving the effectiveness of the partnershipthrough Parties, parliaments and localities.

Theyalso affirmed to aid each other at multilateral mechanisms and forums,including the United Nations, Asia-Europe Meeting, ASEAN-EU Summit, said theDeputy FM, who revealed that Italysupports Vietnam instrengthening relations with the EU and pledges to advocate the early signingof a free trade deal between the EU and Vietnam.

PresidentTran Dai Quang and Italian leaders concurred to prioritise partnerships inclimate change, along with other areas such as vocational training,environmental protection, water resource management and flood alerts.

Thetwo countries will strive to raise two-way trade to 6 billion USD in 2017-2018from the current 4.3 billion USD, while fostering investment in fields of Italy’sstrength and Vietnam’s demand, including machinery manufacturing, garment andtextile, footwear, wood processing, energy and food processing, said Son.

Henoted that the Vietnam-Italy Business Forum was attended by representativesfrom nearly 300 Italian firms, manifesting the interest of the country’sbusiness community in Vietnam.The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Italy’s federation of owners alsosigned a memorandum of understanding.

Scienceand technology cooperation is also a bright spot in bilateral ties, said DeputyFM Son, noting that the two sides vowed to work together in commencing theirpartnership programme in the field for 2017-2019 as well as the deal betweenVietnam’s Academy of Science and Technology and the Italy National Institute.

Vietnameseand Italian leaders agreed to continue fostering cooperation in security anddefence through the sharing of information in UN peacekeeping operations andcombatting crimes, as well as aviation and air force personnel training.

PresidentTran Dai Quang also met with left-wing party leaders to strengthen friendshipbetween people of both countries.

Duringhis stay in Italy fromNovember 21-24, the State leader also met with the Vietnamese community in Italy.Currently, about 4,000 Vietnamese people live in Italy.

Inhis visit to Vatican onNovember 23, President Tran Dai Quang met with Pope Francis and Prime MinisterPietro Parolin who lauded Vietnam’ssocio-economic achievements and welcomed Vietnam’s efforts in completingpolicies of religious freedom.

Thetwo sides agreed that the Vietnam Catholic Church should continue guidingfollowers to practice the gospel and become good Catholics, good citizens andpatriots.

Theyshared the hope that the Church will contribute to the national constructionand development of Vietnam, while operating in line with the country’s law,said Deputy FM Son.-VNA