President Truong Tan Sang welcomes his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev (Source: VNA)

President Truong Tan Sang and his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev discussed and agreed on a new economic cooperation model that looks to transform the two countries’ relationship into a strategic partnership in the future during their talks in the capital city Hanoi on October 28.

In the new economic cooperation model, there is a suggestion about Vietnamese exported products being processed in Bulgaria’s ports and then being sold in European markets to significantly increase trade and economic ties between the two countries.

The Presidents agreed to create favourable conditions for the two countries’ businesses and investors to seek partners and study each other’s market, particularly in the spheres that Bulgaria holds advantages and Vietnam has demand, such as construction, urban and public transport system planning and development, energy, environmental protection, food processing and water source management.

Both leaders expressed their delight at the close and effective coordination between the two nations at international forums and agreed to continue strengthening cooperation in this area. The Bulgarian President affirmed that his country backs the settlement of all disputes between nations by peaceful means and in accordance with international law.

President Sang described the Bulgarian President’s official visit to Vietnam, which started the same day, as an important milestone in promoting the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria in the new period.

He affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to consolidating and developing that friendship and cooperation with Bulgaria while pursuing its external policy of independence, self-control, diversification and multilateralisation, and active international and regional integration.

He expressed his delight at the achievements the Bulgarian people have gained during their socio-economic development process and deep and wide integration into the European Union structures.

He added that these achievements, with Vietnam’s dynamic economic development and increasingly active role in the region and the world, will be an important premise for the two countries to continue boosting bilateral and multilateral cooperation in many fields.

The Vietnamese leader also thanked Bulgaria for creating favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to live in the country, saying that he believes the Vietnamese community will continue promoting their role as a bridge to further develop the two countries’ friendship and cooperation.

For his part, President Plevneliev spoke highly of the significant achievements gained by Vietnam in its renovation, and said that Vietnam is and will always be an important factor for regional peace and stability with a deserving position in the international community.

He affirmed that Bulgaria wants to lift the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam to a new height.

During the talks, the two leaders discussed and agreed on specific measures to boost cooperation in many fields, especially in economics-trade, education-training, culture-tourism and security-defence. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

After the talks, the two leaders passed a joint statement between Vietnam and Bulgaria and a new economic cooperation model.

They also witnessed the signings of several bilateral cooperative documents, including a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the one on information exchange between the Vietnam News Agency and the Bulgaria News Agency.

They then met the media to announce the outcomes of the talks.

VNA