DPM holds bilateral meetings on ASEM Summit sidelines

^- ⁺ A^- A⁺ 17/07/2016

Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh met with the foreign ministers of France, Italy and Ireland and the Swedish Minister of Education on July 15 within the framework of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.

Deptuty PM, FM Pham Binh Minh and French Minister Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault. Photo: VGP

Receiving French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Vietnamese leader extended condolences to the French Government and people, and families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Nice city on July 14.

Viet Nam highly appreciated the French Parliament’s ratification of the Viet Nam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), hoping that France will support the early signing and ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement, he added.

The French Minister announced that French President Francois Holland will visit Viet Nam in September this year, which is regarded as a crucial mark in promoting the two countries’ strategic partnership in all fields, especially economy.

The Vietnamese Government is willing to facilitate France’s investment in high technology, infrastructure, energy, transport, aviation, health, agriculture and the environment, affirmed Mr. Minh, suggesting France maintain its official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam and help the nation get access to the International Development Association (IDA) loans beyond 2017.

Deptuty PM, FM Pham Binh Minh and Italian FM Paolo Gentiloni. Photo: VGP

At his reception for Italian FM Paolo Gentiloni, Deputy PM Minh hailed Italian Parliament for approving the PCA in March, asserting that the Vietnamese Government will create favorable conditions for Italian businesses to boost up investment in manufacturing, garment and textiles, footwear, wood processing, support industry, construction materials, energy and food processing.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue.

At his meeting with Irish FM Gustav Fridolin, the Vietnamese Deputy PM welcomed the Irish President’s visit to Viet Nam in late 2016 on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

He highly valued the national strategy on cooperation and development with Viet Nam in the 2011-2016 period, which is proposed by the Irish Government.

The Irish FM expected that the two nations will accelerate cooperation in potential areas such as culture, education, agriculture.

Deptuty PM, FM Pham Binh Minh and Swedish Minister of Education Gustav Fridolin. Photo: VGP

Deputy PM Minh welcomed the Swedish PM’s proposal on the establishment of strategic partnership in education -training and science-technology at his reception for Swedish Minister of Education Gustav Fridolin./.

He suggested Sweden support Viet Nam’s access to the IDA loans./.

Source: VGP

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