Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh met Slovak Ambassador Igor Pacolak in Hanoi on March 27, during which he affirmed that Vietnam attaches much importance to the development of ties with Eastern European countries, including Slovakia.

He expressed his delight at the positive progress in trade cooperation between the two sides over the past years, with an encouraging two-way trade value of 417 million USD in 2013, up 39 percent over the previous year.

Deputy PM Minh also thanked the Slovak Government for the favourable conditions it has created for the Vietnamese community in the country.

Pacolak pledged that during his office tenure, he will try his best to make the relations more practical and effective.

Deputy PM Minh said the Foreign Ministry as well as other ministries of Vietnam will support the diplomat in his operation.-VNA