The high-level Vietnam Fatherland Front delegation headed by President Huynh Dam was received by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at his office in New Delhi on December 7.

Addressing the meeting, President Mukherjee welcomed the Vietnamese delegation’s visit to India at the time the two countries are celebrating their 40 th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the fifth year of their strategic partnership.

He spoke highly of the long-lasting traditional relations between the two countries, which were founded by President Ho Chi Minh and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and cultivated by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as well as successive leaders from the two sides.

The Indian President stressed that India appreciates Vietnam’s strategic position and attaches importance to tightening and strengthening its ties with the Southeast Asian country. Despite current economic difficulties, he added, two-way trade turnover would reach 7 billion USD by 2015 as expected.

President Dam said he hopes generations of leaders from the two countries will continue strengthening and accelerating the bond so that it is worthy of either sides’ potential.

He affirmed that Vietnam supports India’s efforts to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council and continues to support its “Look East” Policy. - VNA