Vietnam and Argentina agreed on a number of specific measures to boost bilateral cooperation during talks between President Truong Tan Sang and his Argentinean counterpart Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in Hanoi on January 21.

Sang expressed his belief that the January 18-21 visit, the first by Fernandez and the second by an Argentinean Head of State (President Carlos Menem visited Vietnam in 1997), will help deepen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

He thanked the Argentinean Government and people for the solidarity and valuable assistance they gave during Vietnam ’s past struggle for national reunification, and their help in Vietnam ’s current national construction and defence.

He spoke highly of the encouraging recent results in bilateral ties, affirming that Vietnam wants to further deepen its strategic comprehensive partnership with Argentina .  

President Truong Tan Sang welcomes his Argentinean counterpart Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

Fernandez expressed her admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people’s struggle for national independence, freedom and reunification as well as the country’s renewal achievements.

Appreciating Vietnam ’s position and prestige in the international arena, she affirmed that Argentina values its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam in its Asia-Pacific-oriented policy, particularly in the fields of trade, investment, energy, bio-technology and pharmaceuticals.

Sang and his Argentinean counterpart agreed that the two countries will work together to organise activities to mark their 40 th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, while making full use of existing mechanisms such as inter-governmental cooperative committees and political consultations between the two foreign ministries.

The two sides will implement specific cooperation programmes in industry, agriculture, science and technology, energy, telecommunications, oil and gas, culture and forensic anthropology, they said.

Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two leaders agreed that territorial sovereignty disputes should be solved by peaceful means on the basis of international law.

They also agreed that Vietnam and Argentina will continue to consult and coordinate with each other at international organisations and multilateral forums such as the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), in order to protect the interests and improve the position of each nation, as well as actively contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.

On the day, the Argentinean President paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs in Hanoi . She also met with leaders of several leading Vietnamese businesses.

Earlier on January 19, the Argentinean President visited Ho Chi Minh City where she met with Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan.

During the visit, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Argentinean Embassy in Hanoi jointly organised a business forum in Hanoi, attracting representatives from more than 200 Argentinean businesses and nearly 400 local firms./.

VNA