VN, South Africa convene partnership forum

Vietnamese and South African diplomats convened the first session of the inter-governmental partnership forum in order to discuss increasing bilateral cooperation.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Vũ Dũng, who co-chaired the session in Hanoi on May 23, said that ties between the two hit a milestone with the signing of a joint statement on partnership and development, when former Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải visited South Africa in November 2004.
He said the Vietnamese Government then made it a cornerstone of the Vietnam-Africa plan of action for the 2004-2010 period.

Vietnam also applauds South Africa’s leading role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations’ Security Council, the Non-Aligned Movement and the African Union (AU), Deputy Foreign Minister Vũ Dũng said.

Speaking at the forum, South African Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma spoke of Vietnam’s expanding role in the region and emphasized her wish to expand upon ties.

She concluded the dialogue by relaying the South African Government's support for Vietnam’s bid for a seat on the UN’s Security Council for 2008-09 term as a non-permanent member.

Source: VNA