Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hosted a reception for the new Omani Ambassador, Sultan Saif Hilal Al Mahruqi in Hanoi on January 27.

At the meeting, the PM expressed his hope that the ambassador will coordinate closely with Vietnamese ministries and agencies to further enhance bilateral ties.

Both sides should tighten political and diplomatic affairs, enhance collaboration in economics, trade, investment, tourism and labour, and continue supporting each other at international forums, he said.

He also emphasised the need to promote the inter-governmental committee’s mechanism and speed up the implementation of agreements signed at the committee’s second meeting in January 2014.

The diplomat suggested Vietnam open an embassy in Oman and intensify delegation exchanges with his country.

With its important voice in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Oman is willing to serve as a bridge connecting Vietnam to other nations in the region, he said.

Vietnam and Oman established their diplomatic ties in 1992 and have since signed nine bilateral cooperative agreements. Trade between the two nations reached 65 million USD in 2014, and there are now approximately 200 Vietnamese workers in Oman.-VNA