Vietnam and Azerbaijan have great cooperation potential in the oil and gas sector, stated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during an interview with the Vietnam News Agency ahead of Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Azerbaijan.

President Aliyev said that both countries have extensive experience and success in the field and the agreement on strategic cooperation between the Azerbaijani national oil and gas corporation and Vietnam national oil and gas corporation PetroVietnam will open strong cooperation prospects.

He noted that the agreement on economic, commercial, scientific and technical cooperation between the two governments serves as a firm foundation for bilateral economic ties, adding that what need to do now is to study, define and develop new areas for cooperation between the two countries.

According to the president, both countries have substantial potential to deepen cooperation in education, culture and tourism.

The State leader said that President Sang’s upcoming trip to Azerbaijan is highly significant for the development of ties in politics, economics and other sectors as well as for the design of specific plans to boost cooperation.

The trip will open a new chapter in the two countries’ relationship based on the principles of mutual respect, friendship and cooperation.

The Azerbaijani president hoped Vietnam would open an embassy in Baku to help bolster bilateral ties. He stressed that the inter-parliamentary relationship between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, consultations between the two countries and linkages between agencies will contribute to developing bilateral relations.

It is also important to strengthen cooperation between the two countries within the framework of international organisations that both Azerbaijan and Vietnam are members, he said.-VNA