Hanoi (VNA) –Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Estonian ForeignMinister Sven Mikser discussed specific measures to step up bilateral tiesbetween Vietnam and Estonia during their talks in Hanoi on September 14.
They agreed on the need to intensify all-level delegationexchanges, maintain political consultation and coordination between the twoforeign ministries, and continue to complete the legal framework in order toenhance cooperation in all spheres, especially economy, trade, and investment.
The two sides also consented to creating favourableconditions for Vietnam’smajor exports – such as agro-forestry products, garments-textiles and wood products– to access the Estonian market and other Baltic countries, and for Estonia’s key items – such as IT, wood, and foodstuffproducts – to penetrate Vietnamand the ASEAN.
Deputy PM and FM Minh lauded the signing of the agreement ondouble taxation avoidance by Vietnam and Estonia, and suggested the twocountries soon negotiate to reach the signing of an agreement on economiccooperation, thus facilitating bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties.
The officials consented to strengthening and expandingpartnerships in areas with potential, such as education-training, agriculture,culture-tourism, and national defence and security.
The two sides spoke highly of effective bilateral affiliationat international forums and organisations, and concurred to continue with theirclose coordination at multilateral institutions and within the United Nations, theASEM, and other multilateral forums at which both Vietnam and Estonia aremembers.
FM Sven Mikser affirmed that Estoniasupports Vietnamin boosting comprehensive cooperation with the EU, including the early signingand ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.
Host and guest noted with pleasure the active developments inbilateral relations since Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip’s visit toVietnam in 2011.
They also talked about regional and international issues ofshared concern, stressing the significance of peace, stability, security, andnavigation safety and freedom.
Estoniabacks the standpoint of ASEAN and Vietnamon handling disputes in the EastSea by peaceful measureson the basis of respect for international law and the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Sven Mikser said.
The Estonian FM paid an official visit to Vietnam from September 13-14 at theinvitation of Deputy PM and FM Minh.–VNA