Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 5 received French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is in Hanoi for an official visit on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

During the reception, PM Dung spoke highly of the outcomes of talks between the French FM and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh.

On the basis of the fine relationship, the PM suggested the two sides promote cooperation, especially in economics, trade, investment and science-technology.

He expressed desire to receive support from the French side in the fields that the country has strength, such as infrastructure, energy, transportation, health, agriculture and food processing.

He aired his want for France to back Vietnam in expanding cooperation with the EU, hoping the two countries will upgrade their relations to a strategic partnership level for the legitimate interests of their people.

The French FM affirmed that his country upholds the policy of attaching importance to cooperation with Vietnam , in the realms of both sides’ strengths.

He expressed his wish that in the time to come, the two sides will work more closely with each other to make economic ties a key pillar in the bilateral relations.

He also added that France is willing to cooperate with and support Vietnam in the fields of education-training and technology transfer.

The minister suggested Vietnam join France in organising the 21st United Nations Conference on Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCFCCC) to be held in his country in December 2015.

On the same day, the French guest was received by National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, who affirmed that the Vietnamese NA always backs cooperation with France .

The top Vietnamese legislator showed Vietnam’s want to pave the way for France to engage in the Southeast Asian region and expand relations with regional countries.

The NA Chairman appreciated the ODA France has provided for Vietnam, expressing hope that France will maintain its high rate of aid for Vietnam in the future.

He urged the French Foreign Ministry to help link the two legislative bodies in the spirit of agreements signed in 2004 and 2008.

The French diplomat said that based on available potential cooperation, the two sides should actively discuss and implement a number of specific measures to further boost their cooperation, especially in economics and trade.

Appreciating the Vietnamese Parliament’s hosting of the 132nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) in 2015, Minister Laurent Fabius expressed his hope that the two Parliaments will work closely together in preparing for the 21st UNCFCCC scheduled for 2015 in France .-VNA