Vice President wraps up visit to Greece

Athens (VNA) – Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan held talks with Greek Deputy Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos, met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitrios Koutsoumpas and chaired a Vietnam – Greece business seminar before concluding her official visit to the European country from October 31 – November 2.

At the talks, both sides expressed their delight at the nations’ friendship and sound cooperation across many fields over the past 45 years since the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations. They agreed that the two countries need to enhance all-level interactions and exchanges.

They noted the need to continue the effective implementation of the Vietnam-Greece tourism cooperation agreement and advance the bilateral collaboration in education – training, archaeology, cultural exchange and other exchange activities.

Xuan asked the Greek Deputy Prime Minister to convey an invitation to pay an official visit to Vietnam from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the Greek Prime Minister, and thanked Greece for the decision to donate 250,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam.

The Vice President lauded Greece's early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). She said that the sides’ economic - trade cooperation is yet to be on par with their political relations and their potentials.

Xuan also expressed her wish to receive technical support from Greece and the EU to implement solutions to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Deputy PM Panagiotis Pikrammenos affirmed that the Greek Government will make efforts to promote its cooperation with Vietnam in all aspects, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Exchanging views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, the two sides stressed the importance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation, and of dispute settlement by peaceful means that respect international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Meeting with Dimitrios Koutsoumpas, the Vietnamese Vice President stated Vietnam commits to being a trustworthy and responsible friend, partner and member of the international community with active participation in international and regional cooperation processes.

Praising positive growth of the Vietnam-Greece ties, she affirmed that Vietnam values and wants to strengthen its friendship and multifaceted collaboration with Greece.

Both officials agreed to maintain bilateral consultation and cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties and States in a bid to push the nations’ relations to new heights.

Chairing the Vietnam-Greece business seminar, Vice President Xuan said it is a golden time now for the two countries to work closely together to bring their good traditional relationship to new heights. The sides need to promote exchange and trade of commodities of their strengths.

On November 2, Xuan concluded her visit, departing for Vietnam./.