Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the remark at a February 28 reception for visiting Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic in Hanoi.

Dung said Vietnam acknowledges the effective assistance Serbia offered the country during the past struggles for national liberation and the current process of national construction and development, adding that FM Ivan Mrkic’s visit will make a practical contribution to strengthening the bilateral ties.

He asked the two sides to soon sign an agreement on encouragement and protection of investment and another on economic cooperation, as well as support each other at regional and international forums.

For his part, the Serbian guest congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic achievements and affirmed his country always attaches importance to strengthening relations with Vietnam in all fields and hopes to receive more support from Vietnam at these forums.

Serbia favours the signing of cooperation agreements as suggested by PM Dung and urged both sides to sign a cooperation agreement on education-training soon, Ivan Mrkic said.

CPV