A Vietnamese senior military official has hoped that Germany will help Vietnam in training German language for military officers, search and rescue activities, and building UN peacekeeping forces.

Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Trong Nghia, deputy head of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army, made the wish while receiving a delegation from the Internal Management Centre under the German Ministry of Defence in Hanoi on August 4.

At the reception, Nghia suggested the two sides soon reach consensus on the signing of a memorandum of understanding on bilateral defence cooperation.

The German Defence Ministry should consider appointing a resident defence attaché to Vietnam to boost collaboration, he said, adding that his country wants to receive German support for its bid to join the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).

The head of the delegation, Colonel Dirk Peddinghaus, Director of the ministry’s department for international relations, said that Vietnam and Germany have enjoyed fruitful friendship and cooperation, especially in defence, since they set up diplomatic ties in 1975.

He said he believes that the visit will contribute to developing bilateral defence ties in line with the strategic partnership between the two countries.-VNA