Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg have agreed to encourage and back their enterprises and investors to explore collaboration opportunities, especially in prioritised areas of maritime economy, seafood, energy, information technology and green growth.

During their talks in Hanoi on April 17, the two PMs concurred that Vietnam and Norway should increase the exchange of delegations, boosting the efficiency of existing political dialogue mechanisms, while enhancing security-defence affiliation, thus tapping full potential of cooperation.

They vowed to work together for the conclusion of negotiations on the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Union in 2015, creating a favourable framework for the expansion of bilateral trade and investment in the future.

Both sides expressed their delight at the expanding relations between the two countries, especially in politics, economy, development cooperation, education and culture, which they said have laid a firm foundation for the elevation of their ties.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung stated that Vietnam attaches great important to strengthen ties with traditional friends, including Norway . He thanked the Norwegian Government for ODA provision over the past years, especially for environment, education, gender equality, health care, and bomb and mine clearance.

Meanwhile the Norwegian PM lauded Vietnam’s completion of many United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, affirming that she will assist Vietnam in fulfilling the remaining targets as well as building post-2015 sustainable development goals.

She welcomed the sharing of Vietnam ’s experience in tripartite cooperation projects funded by Norway with developing countries.

The two government leaders also agreed to foster connectivity among universities and research centres, especially in science-technology, oil and gas, energy, fishery, agriculture, environment and natural resource management, while increasing cultural, sport and tourism exchanges for deeper mutual understanding and closer people-to-people contacts.

They highly valued the role that the Vietnamese community in Norway play in strengthen friendship and partnership between the two countries.

Both sides pledged to continue their close coordination at multilateral forums and international organisations, especially the United Nations and the Asia-Europe Meeting.

Vietnam welcomes Norway ’s efforts to enhance collaboration with the ASEAN, particularly in boosting connectivity, narrowing down development gap, as well as maritime security and climate change response.

They also shared concern about recent complicated developments in the East Sea, highlighting the need to settle all disputes through peaceful measures in conformity with international law, the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They stressed the significance of speeding up the building of a binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), taking it as an effective tool to ensure peace, stability as well as security, safety and freedom of trade, maritime and aviation in the East Sea.-VNA