Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held bilateral meetings with his Finnish and Tanzanian counterparts on the sidelines of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 69) in New York on September 24.

Talking to Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Toumioja, Minh, who is also a Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, praised the Finnish Government for its provision of official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, saying that the two countries need to enhance their economic and trade links further.

The Vietnamese Government encourages Finnish enterprises to invest in the country, especially in green and clean technologies, renewable energy, forestry, clean water and education, he said.

During his meeting with Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Kamillius Membe, Minh proposed the Tanzanian Government create favourable conditions for Vietnam’s Viettel Group and Epocha & Golden Ocean Tanzania Limited to swiftly implement their joint venture telecommunications project.

The Tanzanian side affirmed that its Government supports Vietnam’s candidacy for the UN Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 term and the UN Security Council from 2020-2021. Furthermore, Membe informed that the Tanzanian President will be visiting Vietnam in October.

The same day, the Vietnamese diplomat also attended working sessions with prestigious US scholars and members of the Asia Society to discuss Asian-Pacific affairs and the Vietnamese Party and State’s foreign policies.

He highlighted the region’s opportunities and challenges, affirming Vietnam’s active contribution to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. Vietnam is joining hands with other ASEAN member states to establish the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 and secure the bloc’s central role in the evolving regional architecture, he said.

He also reiterated the determination of the Vietnamese Party, State and people to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and solve disputes in the East Sea peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards a Code of Conduct for Parties in the East Sea (COC).

The Vietnamese official also met with a representative of the US’ left-wing movements, stating that Vietnam attaches a particular importance to increasing exchanges and mutual understanding between the countries’ peoples, thus boosting the bilateral comprehensive partnership.-VNA