Working group for Vietnam-France defence ties meet via videoconference

The working group for Vietnam-France defence cooperation held a meeting via videoconference on May 5 during which the two countries’ officials agreed to maintain high-level contact and strengthen links in different aspects.

Lt. Gen. Vu Chien Thang, Director of the Ministry of National Defence's Department for External Relations, speaks at the virtual meeting on May 5

The event was chaired by Lt. Gen. Vu Chien Thang, Director of the Department for External Relations under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, and Brigadier General Eric Peltier, head of the south bilateral cooperation department of the French army.

Reviewing the cooperation outcomes in the recent past, the two sides noted that Vietnam and France have maintained their cooperative ties in many areas in an appropriate manner.

Despite complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have sustained high-level contact via videoconference while working closely and rather effectively in other spheres like training, UN peacekeeping operations, and military medicine.

Thang appreciated the French Ministry of Armed Forces’ assistance for Vietnam in personnel training, knowledge exchange, and experience sharing.

Particularly, he added, France has sent its experienced experts to provide specialised advice for the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under a cooperation agreement between Vietnam and the EU.

For the time ahead, the two sides agreed to maintain high-level contact in suitable forms, in person or via teleconference; organise activities to mark the 30th founding anniversary of defence relations; and enhance ties in hydrography, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, and training.

They will also specify the time for the Vietnam-France defence strategy and cooperation dialogue this year and finalise the defence cooperation plan for 2021-2022./.

VNA