Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held talks with Raul Castro,
First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee (CPCCC)
following the official welcome ceremony in Hanoi on July 8.
At the talks, Party General Secretary Trong welcomed the official
visit to Vietnam by Raul Castro, who is also President of the State
Council and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, and his entourage, which
he said, deepens comrades’ friendship and solidarity.
Trong expressed his belief that the official friendship visit to
Vietnam by Raul Castro will be a success, contributing to promoting the
traditional friendship, solidarity and fine cooperation between
Vietnam and Cuba , meeting the two peoples' aspirations and for
development of each country in a new period.
For his
part, Raul Castro said he was happy to visit Vietnam since his
attendance at the 30 th anniversary of the liberation of southern
Vietnam in April 2005 in Ho Chi Minh City .
He said the two countries’ solidarity, friendship and fine cooperation have seen development in the recent past.
With the determination and wish of the two Parties, States and
peoples, the two nations’ close relationship will be further elevated in
the coming time, he added.
At a meeting with Raul
Castro, President Truong Tan Sang said Raul Castro’s visit to Vietnam
following Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Cuba
is a significant milestone in the history of the two countries and
peoples’ relations.
The President highlighted the
results of talks between First Secretary of the CPCCC Raul Castro and
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He affirmed that despite the
distance of half the earth, Vietnam and Cuba have been close
countries in the past and at present.
The two
countries’ relationship will be further promoted not only at
high-ranking level but also all levels and from socio-economics to other
fields at regional and international forums, Sang said, adding that he
will do his best to continue consolidating the two countries’ relations.
Sang took the occasion to convey best regards to Fidel Castro and other Cuban leaders.
Raul Castro said the two countries’ all-round cooperation has been
confirmed through mutual assistance in the past and at present.
He said Cuba is completing management models, especially in economics.
The Cuban leader highlighted Vietnam ’s successes in renewal and
expressed the hope Cuba will learn more experiences from Vietnam
in socio-economic management through regular discussions.
On issues of international community’s interests such as environment
pollution, interest conflicts and democracy, he said Cuba wants to
cooperate with other countries on the basis of equality and consistently
pursue socialist path for the goal of friendly and prosperous Cuba
.
This is the first visit to Vietnam by Raul
Castro in his capacity as the leader of the Cuban Party, State and
Government.
The two-day visit takes place in the
context of important developments in the two countries’ relationship,
reflected in the outcomes of the official visit to Cuba by Party
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, in April this year.
The visit aims to implement contents in the joint statement issued
during Trong’s visit and discuss measures to promote and enhance
comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.-VNA