Havana (VNA) – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received First Vice President of the Cuban Institute of Friendshipwith Peoples (ICAP) Noemi Rabaza Fernandez, President of the Cuba - VietnamFriendship Association (CVFA) Maria Yolanda Ferrer Gomez and leaders of schools named after Uncle Ho, Nguyen Van Troi and Vo Thi Thang in Havana on September 18 (local time).
Fernandez saidPresident Phuc is the first Vietnamese leader to visit Cuba following thesuccess of the 8th National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, demonstratingthe Vietnamese Party, State and people’s special sentiments to their Cuban counterpartsunder any circumstance.
She added that Cubais educating young generations about special bonds between the two nations. TheICAP and the CVFA recently celebrated their 60th foundinganniversaries. The CVFA now has over 1,600 members while the ICAP also has tieswith partners globally.
The Cuban people willsupport Vietnam now and forever under any circumstance, she said.
President Phuc, forhis part, said despite geographical distance, the Vietnamese people alwaysstand side by side with the fraternal Cuban people and contribute the bilateralties.
CVFA President Gomez said its 34 chapters will continue contributing to the revolutionary causes of thetwo Parties and people of Cuba and Vietnam.
Cuba always supportsVietnam and wants to learn from the country’s experience, she said,
President Phuc thanked andhailed leaders and officials of the ICAP, CVFA and the schools andthe Young Communist League of Cuba for fostering Vietnam – Cuba ties over the past years.
He affirmed that Cuba’ssolidarity activities with Vietnam have provided a great source of encouragement tothe Vietnamese people in the past and at present. In return, the Vietnamese people havealso offered warm sentiments and a helping hand to their Cuban counterparts, especially intheir difficult times.
The Vietnamese leaderexpressed his belief that the ICAP, CVFA and Cuban schools will educate younggenerations about the tradition of close-knit relationship between the two nations,contributing to further strengthening and deepening the bilateral special traditional friendship.
The same day, President Phuc alsovisited the Vietnamese Embassy and met representatives of the Vietnamese communityin Cuba.
At the meeting, he said the Party and State have always paid attention to overseas Vietnamese, including those in Cuba.
The State leader asked the embassy's staff to hold aloft the flag of solidarity and make more practical contributions to maintaining, nurturing and developing the great special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba./.