Vietnam’s ambassador presents credentials to Timor Leste President

Jakarta (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste Pham Vinh Quang presented his credentials to President of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste Francisco Guterres in the capital city of Dili on March 1.

At the reception, President Guterres affirmed that Timor Leste treasures its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, having not forgotten that Vietnam was one of the first countries to recognise his country’s independence while continuing to support it in national development to this day.

He hoped that bilateral ties would thrive in diverse areas and accepted Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong’s invitation to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time.

The President said he will hold a working session with Timor Leste Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak next week to discuss specific measures to boost bilateral cooperation as suggested by the ambassador.

He hoped that the ambassador would have a successful tenure and make positive contributions to further developing the bilateral friendship.

Quang, for his part, vowed to work closely with Timor Leste’s ministries and agencies to step up practical and multifaceted ties, including facilitating all-level visits, establishing cooperation mechanisms, and promoting trade and investment, as well as ties across the fields of telecommunications, agriculture, tourism, aquaculture, and oil and gas.

Vietnam is willing to send experts to Timor Leste to share experiences in agriculture, he said, adding that Vietnam will also continue exporting rice and expand the rice export quota to the country to 200,000 tonnes per year.

The diplomat asked the Timor Leste government to continue providing favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationals living in the country and support Vietnamese firms in their operations, especially the military-run telecom provider Viettel’s Telemor.

Speaking highly of mutual liaison at regional and global forums, Quang thanked Timor Leste for supporting Vietnam’s bid to run for a non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure.

As ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam will facilitate consensus among other ASEAN member states and the Secretariat to push forward Timor Leste’s entry to the association, he said.

The ambassador later paid a courtesy call to Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport Dulce de Jesus Soares to discuss specific ways to reinforce bilateral links in the near future.

Meeting the Vietnamese community in Timor Leste the same day, he vowed his utmost efforts to protect their legitimate rights and interests.–VNA