Panama City (VNA) –Vietnam alwayswishes to enhance the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Panama,Phan Dinh Trac, head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) CentralCommittee’s Commission for Internal Affairs, affirmed during his visit to the LatinAmerican country.

Trac, who is also deputy head of the CentralSteering Committee on Anti-Corruption, lead a Party delegation to visit Panamafrom June 30 to July 3.

During his stay in Panama, the official metwith President Juan Carlos Varela and Vice President and Foreign MinisterIsabel Saint Malo, and held talks with President of the PanamenistaParty (PAN) Jose Luis Varela and SecretaryGeneral of the Democratic RevolutionaryParty (PRD) PedroMiguel Gonzalez. He also had working sessions withrepresentatives from several anti-corruption agencies of Panama.

At these meetings, Tracbriefed his hosts on Vietnam’s situation as well as achievements the countryhas recorded during the reform cause initiated and led by the CPV over the past30 years.

He reiterated Vietnam’sconsistent foreign policy of independence, peace, cooperation and development;multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, being afriend and a reliable and responsible partner of the international community;and active integration into the world. 

The official thanked the Panamanianpeople for their solidarity and friendship towards Vietnamese people during thepast struggle for national liberation and reunification and the present causeof national construction.

He stressed that Panama isone of the first Latin American countries to back Vietnam’s bid to join theWorld Trade Organisation (WTO) and run for a non-permanent seat at the UNSecurity Council for 2008-2009, as well as to recognize the country’s marketeconomy status.

Panama also backs Vietnam’smembership in the Human Rights Council and the Economic and Social Council ofthe UN, he said.

Trac spoke highly of thedevelopment of the relationship between Vietnam and Panama, as well as theirclose coordination and mutual support at many multilateral forums and internationalorganisations.

President Juan Carlos Varelaand leaders of PAN and PRD expressed their special sentiments towardsVietnamese people, and their admiration for Vietnam’s struggle for nationalliberation and reunification.

They said the VietnameseParty delegation’s visit would help promote the fruitful relations between theCPV and political parties in Panama, and between the two countries’ States,Governments and people.

Lauding Vietnam’s reformachievements, the Panamanian leaders proposed concrete measures to reinforcethe bilateral ties, especially in economy, trade and investment, andcooperation with the CPV in the time ahead.

The two sides agreed tointensify the exchange of all-level Party delegations, maintain bilateralconsultation mechanisms, and join hands to seek ways to expand bilateral trade,and promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

While in Panama, Trac alsovisited the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Panama.-VNA