Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and his New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters (Source: VNA)DaNang (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham BinhMinh hosted separate meetings in Da Nang city on November 9 with his NewZealand counterpart Winston Peters, and Papua New Guinean Minister of ForeignAffairs and Immigration Rimbink Pato within the framework of the APEC EconomicLeaders’ Week.
Attheir meeting, Minh and Peters expressed their satisfaction with strongdevelopment of the Vietnam-New Zealand comprehensive partnership as well ascooperation between the two Foreign Ministries.
Theyaffirmed to work closely in carrying out the bilateral Programme of Actionduring 2017-2020 in order to further deepen the bilateral ties.
Minhasked New Zealand to continue technical assistance and facilitate the export ofVietnamese agricultural products, while Peters suggested the two sides payattention to boost cooperation in their strong fields such as trade, labour,tourism, and health.
Theyalso exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern,and agreed to continue close coordination, particularly in ASEAN mechanisms, tomaintain peace and stability in the region.
TheNew Zealand guest announced that his country’s Government will provide 500,000NZD (347,700 USD) for Vietnam to tackle consequences of storm Damrey, which hitVietnam’s south central coast on November 4. Following downpours and floods hadclaimed 89 lives and left 18 missing and 174 others injured in central andCentral Highlands localities as of November 7.
Onthis occasion, the two Deputy PMs signed the Vietnam-New Zealand Programme ofAction for 2017-2020.
The meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Papua New Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Rimbink Pato (Source: VNA)Inanother development, Minh and Papua New Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs andImmigration Rimbink Pato agreed to continue close coordination to step uphigh-level visits and people-to-people exchanges, and intensify cooperation insuch potential fields as agriculture and fisheries.
Minhspoke highly of Papua New Guinea’s backing for the APEC Vietnam Year 2017,affirming to support and share experience to help the country organise the APECYear 2018 successfully.
Heasked Papua New Guinea to maintain cooperation with Vietnam in solving issuesrelated to Vietnamese fishermen and fishing vessels in the humanitarian andfriendship spirit.
Acknowledgingthe proposal, Rimbink Pato requested both sides to consider the possibility ofcooperation in fishing.-VNA
VNA
