The Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association under the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations in coordination with Germany ’s Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung (FES) Institute have held talks themed “ Germany on the threshold of the 2013 Federal Diet Election”.

Opening the talks, Chu Tuan Cap, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association, emphasised that Germany has always been a leading partner of Vietnam in a range of areas encompassing politics-diplomacy, economics, trade and investment, culture-education and science-technology, among others.

The two countries have signed a number of agreements, laying the legal foundation for annual economic cooperation, scientific research and training, he added, showing pleasure at the growing number of German companies investing in Vietnam .

Cap said he believes Vietnam-Germany relations have reached a new height, helping promote the friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two Governments and peoples.

The Vietnamese alumni in Germany and a community of more than 125,000 Vietnamese living in Germany are a crucial driving force in developing the Vietnam-Germany partnership.

Addressing the event, Edelgard Bulmahn, member of the German Federal Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, discussed the importance of the upcoming Bundestag (Federal Diet) election, political situation in Germany before the election, as well as briefed listeners on the profile of Vietnam-Germany ties.

Sharing his view with audiences, Erwin Schweisshelm, head of the FES representative office in Vietnam , highlighted the role that direct connections between the two peoples in recent time have played in the two nations’ friendly cooperation, adding that the FES and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations have been active in co-organising a wide range of activities.

The May 10 talks in Hanoi also drew the participation of Karin Roth, member of the Diet’s Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development; Anton Schaaf, member of the Diet’s Committee on Labour and Social Affairs.-VNA