Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson (Source :CNN)
Hanoi (VNA) – Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and his spouse concluded the State visit to Vietnam from November 3-6 at the invitation of President Truong Tan Sang.
Before his departure, he attended a seminar “Building a successful fishing economy – Lessons from Iceland” in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the visit, the Icelandic President held talks with his the Vietnamese counterpart Truong Tan Sang, paid courtesy calls to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, and met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan.
Both sides discussed the increase of all-level exchanges, the signing of additional cooperation agreements and support to Vietnamese and Icelandic firms operating in aquaculture and renewable energy.
They will explore the possibility of signing education-training agreements. The Icelandic side will assist Vietnam in training professionals major in fisheries, energy and environment while sharing its experience in social welfare, gender equality and care for children and the disabled.
As coastal countries, Vietnam and Iceland debated collaboration in response to climate change and rising sea level, as well as protection of natural resources and ecological environment.
They underscored the need to push for the conclusion of negotiations on free trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association and Iceland.
Expressing concern over the recent developments in the East Sea, they consented to the necessity to settle disputes by peaceful means in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Concerned parties need to reach a legally-binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea, considering it an effective means to ensure peace, stability, maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom, as well as trade in the East Sea.
On the occasion, both countries reached a memorandum of understanding on geothermal cooperation and another one between the Hanoi-based Vietnam National University and the Reykjavik University.
The Icelandic leader and his entourage also paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.-VNA
