Vietnam, Timor Leste look to promote relations

Hanoi (VNA) – Timor Leste always appreciates the support of Vietnam for his country during the war time and in the last 20 years as well, Prime Minister of Timor Leste Taur Matan Ruak told the special envoy of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Hung.

During a reception on August 29 for Hung, who is also Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications, Taur Matan Ruak said Timor Leste greatly admires Vietnam's efforts and will learn from Vietnam’s experience.

He highlighted the potential and opportunities for economic cooperation between his country and Vietnam in the coming time.

He hailed the development of Telemor – a subsidiary of Vietnam’s Viettel telecoms group in Timor-Leste, which is currently the largest mobile operator in his country, accounting for 54 percent of the mobile subscriber market share.

The PM affirmed that Timor Leste always support investment and development of foreign companies.

For his part, Minister Hung, who is on a working visit to Timor Leste from August 28-September 1, affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Timor Leste.

The Vietnamese Government hopes competent agencies of Timor Leste will continue to create favourable conditions for Telemor to effectively operate, thus contributing to the host country’s socio-economic development, Hung said.

He proposed that the Timor Leste PM soon complete procedures to set up a joint committee on bilateral cooperation; sign bilateral agreements on visa exemption; complete internal procedures to ratify the bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.

Vietnam also hopes that Timor Leste will support ASEAN’s central role in the region, especially in security and strategic issues, including ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea based on respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The same day, Minister Hung met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Dionisio Babo Soares, during which they expressed their hope for stronger cooperation between the two countries, especially economic ties, technology and telecommunication collaboration.

On the occasion, Minister Hung presented two scholarship worth 50,000 USD each for students of Timor Leste to pursue IT study in Vietnam in four years./.