Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu on September 7 receives a delegation from the French Senate led by Chairwoman of the Senate's Social Affairs Committee and Chairwoman of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group of the Senate Catherine Deroche. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)Hanoi (VNA) –Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu on September 7 received adelegation from the French Senate led by Chairwoman of the Senate's SocialAffairs Committee and Chairwoman of the France-Vietnam FriendshipParliamentarians’ Group of the Senate Catherine Deroche.
Vu spoke highly of the French delegation’s visit which contributed to diversifying and deepening the Vietnam - France strategicpartnership, especially as the two countries are celebrating the 50thanniversary of their diplomatic relations and the 10thanniversary of their strategic partnership.
He highlighted thespecial historical relationship between the two countries with cooperation inall aspects, and applauded thefriendship parliamentarians’ group for their active contributions to enhancingmutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.
For her part, Catherine Derocheexpressed her delight at the comprehensive development of the Vietnam-FranceStrategic Partnership, affirming that France always attaches great importanceto Vietnam's position and role. She expressed her hope that theVietnam-France strategic partnership will be deepened.
Vu highly valued the results of the Vietnam visit by Senate President Gerard Larcher in last December and suggested thetwo sides strengthen the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially through theparliamentary channel.
The two sides agreed tostrengthen the role and activities of the Friendship Parliamentary Groups andfriendship associations of the two countries to enhance understanding andexchange between the two peoples.
Vu said that economiccooperation is an important pillar in the Vietnam - France relationship, addingthat economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countriesstill has a lot of potential for development.
He said he hopes the twocountries will take advantage of the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and called on France to soon approve the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement(EVIPA), as well as to push the European Commission (EC) to remove its“yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood products.
The two sides agreed tostrengthen cooperation in culture, education, and health care. Catherine Derocheproposed the two countries promote the cooperation mechanism for localities.
On this occasion, the twosides also shared their views on the East Sea, emphasising theimportance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom ofnavigation and overflight in the East Sea as well as settling disputes bypeaceful means based on international law, especially the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.
