Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Prime Minister Erna Solberg at press conference after talks (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Norway issued a joint statement on theofficial visit to Norway by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as well as agreementsreached by the countries’ leaders during the visit.
The following is the full text of the Joint Statement.
“At the invitation of HE ErnaSolberg, Prime Minister of Norway, HE Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam,paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Norway on May 24-25, 2019.
1. During the visit, PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with Prime Minister Erna Solberg, had anaudience with His Majesty King Harald V, andpaid a courtesy call to Tone W. Trøen, Speaker of the Norwegian Storting.
2. The two primeministers acknowledged the strengthening and broadening of bilateral relationsbetween Vietnam and Norway. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc commended Norway forits economic performance in recent years, and for its progress in the area of greengrowth. Prime Minister Erna Solberg commended Vietnam for its socio-economicachievements and the responsible role it has played in multilateral organisations,for example its successful hosting of the APEC Summit in 2017, the World EconomicForum on ASEAN in 2018 and the US-DPRK Second Summit in early 2019.
3. Prime Minister ErnaSolberg and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed their appreciation ofmore than four decades of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Norway and ofthe two countries’ longstanding friendship and multifaceted cooperation.
4. The two primeministers welcomed the growing economic ties between Vietnam and Norway, asseen in the ever closer bilateralcooperation in fields such as forestry, environmental protection, fisheries,aquaculture, renewable energy, LNG, maritime transport and shipbuilding. Bothprime ministers reaffirmed their determination to further strengthen economic,trade and investment relations in a sustainable and inclusive way, and expressed theircountries’ commitment to seeking an early conclusion of the negotiations on acomprehensive and ambitious Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and EFTA.
5. The primeministers encouraged the business communities of both countries to continue topromote and expand their trade and investment cooperation, especially in importantareas such as the ocean economy, greenand renewable energy, information technology and consumer goods. Theywelcomed the Vietnam–Norway Business Forum held in Oslo in connection with thevisit.
6. The two primeministers also encouraged ministries and agencies in both countries to expand their bilateral dialogue and cooperation inareas such as education, tourism, sport, culture, people-to-people exchange, andin areas relating to the women, peace and security agenda, including UN SecurityCouncil resolution 1325.
7. Norway and Vietnamare both under review by the UPR Working Group this year, and both leadershighlighted the importance of the UPR process as a universal, transparent,state-led peer review mechanism based on dialogue and cooperation. Both prime ministers acknowledged the constructive human rights dialogue between Vietnam andNorway, and highlighted the importance of the rule of law, human rights, andthe implementation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration onFundamental Principles and Rights at Work and commitments made under regionaland international free trade agreements.
8. Both sides agreedto continue to exchange visits and delegations at all levels, especially at highlevel, building on the official visit to Vietnam in 2015 by Prime Minister ErnaSolberg and the working visit to Norway in October 2018 by Deputy PrimeMinister Trinh Dinh Dung, which gave new impetus to the multifacetedcooperation between the two countries. They also agreed to continue to carryout the annual political consultations at deputy foreign minister level, and otherbilateral dialogues on issues of mutual concern.
9. The two primeministers stressed the importance of global efforts to reduce emissions fromdeforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and welcomed thesuccessful completion of the six-year UN-REDD programme in Vietnam. They also emphasisedtheir shared commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, as reflectedin the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable DevelopmentGoals. They applauded the important action taken by many countries to tackle theissues of climate change, rising sea levels and marine plastic litter. Prime Minister Erna Solberg referred to ongoing and new regional projects onmarine litter involving ASEAN member states. She welcomed the factthat Vietnam will be represented at the Our Ocean Conference in Oslo in Octoberthis year.
10. The two prime ministers also compared notes on regionaland international issues of mutual concern. They agreed to enhance the two countries’ cooperationin regional and multilateral forums, especially in the UN, the ASEAN–Norway SectoralDialogue Partnership, and ASEM.
11. Vietnam and Norway share a commitment to a fair, justand rules-based international order and a multilateral system with the UN atits core. Both countries attach importance to the role of the UN in addressing internationaldisputes through dialogue and consultations, in accordance with the UN Charterand international law. Bothcountries see the protection of civilians from explosive remnants of war as apriority, including through risk education and the clearance of anti-personnelmines and cluster munitions. Norway holds the Presidency of the Mine Ban Treatyfor 2019, and has invited Vietnam to participate at the Fourth ReviewConference in Oslo in November 2019.
12. The two primeministers agreed that, if both countriesare elected non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the periods2020-2021 and 2021-2022, respectively, this will provide a good opportunity forVietnam and Norway to work together to promote regional and global peace andsecurity cooperation.
13. Both primeministers expressed their support for efforts to promote peace, stability,cooperation and friendship in South East Asia. They reaffirmed the importanceof safeguarding the freedoms, rights and duties set out in the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provides the legalframework for all activities in the oceans and seas, and called on all partiesto settle any disputes through peaceful means and in accordance withinternational law.”-VNA
