Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed bilateral ties over the phone on February 14.

Both sides reflected the progression of bilateral relationship since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership, saying that 2015 is a significant year with a series of activities in honour of the 20 th founding anniversary of Vietnam – US diplomatic ties.

They also underscored the need to facilitate high-level visits as a means to push their ties forward.

Kerry extended New Year greetings to the government and people of Vietnam and reiterated the US administration’s invitation to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to visit the US in 2015.

Minh and Kerry talked next steps to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations as scheduled and other areas of coordination.-VNA