President welcomes newly-accredited foreign ambassadors

Hanoi, (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang hosted separate receptions on September 26 for the Ambassadors of Israel, Bangladesh, Finland, Austria and Cuba, after the ambassadors presented their credentials before taking office in Vietnam.

Welcoming Israeli Ambassador Nadav Eshcar, President Quang expressed his delight over the sound development in the cooperative ties between the two countries in the past years, as demonstrated by President Reuven Ruvi Rivlin’s State visit to Vietnam in March, Israel’s recognition of Vietnam’s full market economy and the negotiations of a bilateral free trade agreement.

The two countries have also expanded cooperation in trade, high-tech agriculture, security-defence industry and education and training, he stressed.

The Vietnamese leader suggested that both sides strive to ink the bilateral FTA in 2018 and carry out measure to increase two-way trade to 3 billion USD in the coming years.

The Israeli diplomat highlighted that agreements signed between the two countries have created a framework to bolster the bilateral ties. Vietnam is an important partner and Israel wants to promote collaboration with the country, he added.

Receiving Bangladeshi Ambassador Samina Naz, Quang affirmed that Vietnam always cherishes traditional friendship and cooperative ties with the South Asian country.


As the bilateral economic-trade cooperation has become more robust, reaching 609 million USD in 2016, the President hoped that Bangladesh will import more Vietnamese farm produce, aquatic products and consumption goods while creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in infrastructure, power and telecommunication in Bangladesh.

He wished that Bangladesh will support Vietnam in running for non-permanent membership of the United Nations’ Security Council for 2020-2021 tenure and the Vietnamese candidate for UNESCO General Director Chair in 2017-2021 tenure.

Samina Naz committed to do her utmost to enhance relations between the two countries, particularly economic-trade relations.

In conversations with Finnish Ambassador Kari Kahiluoto and Austrian Ambassador Thomas Schuller Gotzburg, President Quang called on the two countries to push for the early signing and approval of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement to open up new business opportunities for enterprises from each nation.

Both the Finnish and Austrian ambassadors affirmed that their countries want to boost cooperation in multi-faceted fields with Vietnam.

In another reception for Cuban Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera, President Quang stressed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always treasure and want to foster solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Cuba. He said that Vietnamese agencies will cooperate and create favourable conditions for the Cuban diplomat to fulfill his mission in the host country.

The Cuban ambassador underscored that Cuba and Vietnam have enjoyed rosy relations in the past years, especially politics.

Cuba wants to further collaboration with Vietnam in various sectors, she added.-VNA