The signing of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) marks an
important qualitative development in the Vietnam-EU relationship,
Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said in an interview granted to the
press in Brussels on June 28.
The Vietnamese
Foreign Minister and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy Catherine Ashton signed the PCA between Vietnam and
the EU at the EU headquarters in Brussels on June 27.
With the agreement, the relations between EU and VN will shift from
EU’s provision of assistance to Vietnam in development, poverty
reduction and economic transformation, to an equal partnership and more
comprehensive and profound cooperation, Minh said.
“In other words, the PCA is not only vivid evidence of the
comprehensive and substantive development of the Vietnam-EU relationship
over the past 20 years, but also an important milestone that brings the
bilateral ties to a new height, in line with the connectivity and
stature of the EU in the 21 st century, as well as the increasing
position and strength of Vietnam after 25 years of successful renovation
and integration,” he said.
According to the FM,
the agreement will regulate the bilateral relations between Vietnam
and the EU in the areas of development cooperation, economics-trade,
education-training, science-technology, agriculture, health and tourism.
It will also cover cooperation at regional and
international forums and cooperation in dealing with global challenges
such as climate change, environment, natural disasters, energy security,
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the fight against
terrorism and organised crimes, he added.
Regarding the prospects for the Vietnam-EU relationship after signing
the PCA, Minh stated that the Vietnam-EU relations have seen positive
and comprehensive development over recent years.
The EU has become one of Vietnam ’s most important partners in
various fields, especially development cooperation, trade and
investment, thus actively supporting the Southeast Asian nation’s
overall development and international integration, he said.
Vietnam ’s relations with EU member countries have developed
rapidly and positively. Vietnam and five EU members namely the UK ,
Germany , Spain , the Netherlands and Denmark have established
strategic partnerships.
The minister stressed that
the PCA and the official kick-start of negotiations for a Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) are new important milestones in the development of the
Vietnam-EU ties, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
In future, on the basis of the PCA, Vietnam will deepen and
upgrade its relations with EU member states to a new level, he said,
adding that the two sides will actively maintain dialogue on issues
relating to democracy and human rights in the spirit of openness,
cooperation and mutual respect.
According to the
diplomat, while waiting for the approval of the PCA by parliaments of 27
EU member countries and the European Parliament (EP), Vietnam and the
EU have agreed to implement some contents of the PCA soon, including
strengthening the Vietnam-EU cooperation at international and regional
forums, as well as speeding up FTA negotiations and working for the EU’s
recognition of Vietnam as a market economy.
The
two sides will boost cooperation in education and training, environment
and climate change, energy and natural disaster prevention and
mitigation, he said.
They will also increase
high-ranking visits, including an official visit to Vietnam by
President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy scheduled for later
this year, he added.
Minister Minh expressed his
belief that with the signing of the PCA, the Vietnam-EU relations will
continue to see strong developments in the future.-VNA