Deputy PM meets senior EU, Australian officials

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh meets with Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh had bilateral meetings with senior officials from the European Union (EU) and the Australian Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 48) in Kuala Lumpur on August 6.

In a meeting with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, the two sides expressed their pleasure over the progressive development of Vietnam-EU diplomatic relations over the last 25 years and the recent conclusion of negotiations on the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement.

They agreed to continue fostering their partnership and comprehensive cooperation, as well as collaborating in regional and international forums in a practical and effective manner to the benefit of Vietnam and the EU, as well as for peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large.

The Deputy PM suggested accelerating the approval of the Vietnam-EU Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) as a legal framework for further improving relations.

On her part, Mogherini hailed the role Vietnam has played in the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the contribution it has made to fostering ASEAN-EU relations.

The two sides also shared their concern over the recent developments in the East Sea, agreeing to urge the parties involved to avoid action that could complicate the situation, and to resolve any disputes via peaceful means and on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), with a view to completing a Code of Conduct (COC).

In a meeting with Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Deputy PM Minh hailed the extensive development of the Vietnam-Australia comprehensive partnership, and called for more high-level delegation exchanges and joint concrete approaches to make full use of the bilateral cooperation potential.

Echoing Minh’s opinion on fostering cooperation and delegation exchanges between the two countries, the Australian Minister highlighted the need for developing an effective mutual cooperation mechanism in a bid to make the Vietnam-Australia comprehensive partnership more practical for the two nations’ peoples.

She also affirmed Australia’s strong objection to unilateral action in the region, as well as the country’s support for addressing disputes in a peaceful manner and on the basis of international law.-VNA