ASEM FMs’ Meeting: Deputy PM meets foreign ministers

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh meets French FM Jean-Yves Le Drian

Countries spoke highly of Viet Nam’s close and effective work in global forums and organisations, especially in the United Nations. Both sides discussed ties between the ASEAN and the European Union (EU) and the ratification of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

On the East Sea issue, countries shared Viet Nam and ASEAN’s stance on maintaining peace, stability, maritime and aviation freedom in the East Sea, the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), towards the early formulation of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). 

French FM Jean-Yves Le Drian and the Vietnamese PM agreed on specific measures such as the exchange of high-level visits, inauguration of the French House in Ho Chi Minh City and investment in green and sustainable development projects to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the fifth anniversary of the bilateral strategic partnership. 

Meeting FM of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn, Minh welcomed the signing of a framework agreement on cooperation on November 14 that creates a legal framework for bilateral coordination across energy, climate change, finance-banking, tourism and green growth in new forms as well as joint work to celebrate the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, including the exchange of high-level delegations. 

Asselborn described Viet Nam as an important partner of Luxembourg in Asia and announced an aid worth €100,000 for Vietnamese people hit hard by recent typhoon Damrey. 

In a dialogue with Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto, Minh urged both sides to work closely together to carry out agreements reached during Prime Minister Orban Viktor’s visit to Viet Nam in September. 

Szijjarto committed strong support to the early signing and adoption of the EVFTA. 

The Vietnamese and Hungarian leaders discussed how to soon disburse official development assistance worth €440 million  provided by the Hungarian government and further facilitate the two countries’ exports. 

The Hungarian FM announced that Hungary will double scholarship for Vietnamese students starting from September 2018. 

Minh also vowed to partner with Finland in the UN and multilateral forums. Finnish FM Timo Soini expressed his wish to cooperate with Viet Nam in trade, investment, education-training, innovation, water resources management and clean technology, as well as prepare for the Finnish PM’s visit next year on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. 

Talking with State Secretary for Global Bilateral Affairs of Romania Monica Gheorghita, Minh called for collaboration to carry out agreements reached during Viet Nam visit by the Romanian PM in July 2016. He proposed Romania offers preferential loans to Viet Nam in the fields of pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, railway and equipment for oil and gas. 

The same day, Minh also met State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Slovenia Andej Logar, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, and Polish Deputy FM Marek Magierowski, during which they agreed to boost bilateral links across politics-diplomacy, economy-trade-investment, education-training, people-to-people exchange and in multilateral forums. - VNA