Deputy FM visits Myanmar, seeking to tighten links

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam paid a working visit to Myanmar on May 25-26 in an effort to strengthen cooperation between the countries, as well as between the two foreign ministries.

The visit was made amidst the National League for Democracy party coming to power recently, and forming a new Government in Myanmar on April 1.

During his stay in Myanmar, Nam held talks with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Tin and had a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi – State Advisor, Foreign Minister and Minister of the President’s Office. He also had a working session with Minister of Hotels and Tourism Ohn Maung.

At the events, Deputy Minister Nam said Vietnam treasures the traditional friendship and cooperation with Myanmar over the past 40 years. He highlighted significant joint achievements in recent years that illustrate the efforts by the two Governments, business circles and peoples.

He asked the two sides to uphold those attainments and enhance cooperation in fields that both countries have interests in.

The Vietnamese and Myanmar officials affirmed that they will foster connections in security and defence, along with the 12 prioritised areas named in the countries’ joint statement in 2010.

They will also facilitate the activities of each other’s enterprises, and organise more tourism and investment promotion campaigns, including the tourism forum that gathers Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, so as to boost bilateral partnerships.

Vietnam and Myanmar pledged to work together for ASEAN solidarity and to support each other at international forums and regional cooperation mechanisms.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Tin spoke highly of Vietnam’s rapid growth, saying that he wants Vietnam to share experience in different spheres such as law amendment and in investment and tourism attraction.

The officials agreed on the importance of the two foreign ministries’ cooperation, which will pave the way for affiliation between other ministries. Effective and practical cooperation should be fostered between the foreign ministries, as well as between the ministries’ leaders.

Meanwhile, Aung San Suu Kyi highly valued the sincere amity between the two countries, which was nurtured by late President Ho Chi Minh and her father, General Aung San.

She expressed her interest in Vietnam’s experience in developing export industries, including rubber production and export, and said she hopes the existing partnerships will be intensified in a results-oriented manner.

At the meeting with Deputy Minister Nam, Aung San Suu Kyi was invited to visit Vietnam and co-chair the ninth meeting of the Vietnam – Myanmar cooperation joint committee, which is to set cooperation orientations for the countries in the following years. The invitation was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

She promised to make the visit at an appropriate date.-VNA