At the talks in New Delhi on July 4, the two ministers have reiterated commitment and determination of senior leaders of the two countries to continue fostering the bilateral relationship to match the comprehensive strategic partnership and agreed on some measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields. 

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Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh (L) and Indian Minister of Foreign  Affairs Sushma Swaraj. Photo: vnmedia.vn

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of shared concern and affirmed to closely cooperate at international and regional forums of which both countries are members.

The Vietnamese Foreign Minister said that as a coordinator country for the ASEAN-India relations in the period of 2015-2018, Vietnam supports India to strengthen comprehensive cooperation and connectivity with the region and make positive contributions as a powerful country in Asia. Meanwhile, his Indian counterpart reaffirmed India’s commitment to further carry out the “Act East” policy.

The two foreign ministers reaffirmed cooperation in maintaining peace, stability, maritime and aviation safety and security in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole and emphasized the principles of respecting international law and settling disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

After the talks, Minh and Sushma Swaraj signed an Action Program for the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017-2020 period which orient the two countries’ bilateral relations in politics, defense-security, economy, energy, science and technology, IT, education - training - research, culture - tourism - people-to-people exchange, etc.

The same day, Vietnamese Minister Minh paid a courtesy visit to Indian Vice President and Chairman of the Senate Hamid Ansari and received Honorary Consul General of Vietnam Rajesh Kazi Shrestha and some Nepalese businesses.

Translated by Tran Hoai