The Vietnamese general is leading a high-ranking Vietnamese defense delegation to visit Cuba from June 1-7 at the invitation of Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Politburo member, member of the Council of State and of the Council of Ministers and Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces.
At the meeting, General Lich thanked General R. Castro for the reception and conveyed regards of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Tran Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to General R. Castro and other Cuban leaders. On behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State, Government, Army and people, General Lich expressed thanks to the Cuban Party, State, Government, Army and people for their great support and assistance for Vietnam during its past national liberation and country reunification cause and current construction and protection of the socialist Fatherland.
General Raul Castro (center, front) and General Ngo Xuan Lich (fourth from right) in a joint photo with delegates at the reception
The guest also believed that the Cuban people with their indomitability at war and creativity at work will continuously bring into play their great comprehensive revolutionary achievements and successfully fulfill the socio-economic policy to record more glorious deeds in the construction and protection cause of their Fatherland.
General Lich also stressed that the ongoing Cuba visit of the high-ranking Vietnamese defense delegation aims to strengthen the traditional friendship and brotherhood between Vietnam and Cuba as well as boost cooperation in various fields, including defense, for mutual interests of the two countries and peoples.
For his part, General R. Castro warmly welcomed General Lich and his entourage to Cuba and affirmed that the visit will contribute significantly to cementing the time-honored loyal friendly relations between the two Parties, States, armed forces and peoples of Cuba and Vietnam. The host also took the chance to express his sincere gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people for their unity, and timely invaluable support for Cuba, considering it a huge source of encouragement for the Cuban people in the current period.
General R. Castro highlighted Vietnam’s experience in various areas and saw it as a good premise for the Cuban people to succeed in the construction and protection of their Fatherland.
Earlier on June 5, Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias hosted an official reception for General Ngo Xuan Lich and the Vietnamese defense delegation at Cacahual Mausoleum Square.
Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias welcoming General Ngo Xuan Lich
After the reception, the two sides had talks at the headquarters of the Ministry of Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. General Frias warmly welcomed General Lich and his entourage to Cuba and believed that the visit would promote bilateral defense relations and cooperation between Cuba and Vietnam.
General Lich thanked General Frias and other leaders of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces for their solemn and warm welcome in an atmosphere of dear friendship, brotherhood and comradeship. He emphasized that the visit is to reconfirm the pure, close-knit, faithful ties between the two nations and the Vietnam-Cuba special friendship and solidarity, which has been nurtured and fostered for years by leaders and people of the two countries. The visit also aims to step up the implementation of cooperation spheres agreed by the two sides during the Vietnam visit of Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias in March 2017 so as to deepen bilateral defense cooperation in a sustainable and effective manner and for more practical outcomes, meeting the aspirations of the two nations.
The two sides then exchanged information about each other’s country and discussed issues of mutual concern.
The two ministers also agreed that the two sides have implemented cooperation areas under the signed deals actively and comprehensively, bringing about concrete results, which has contributed to augmenting capabilities of the two militaries to better accomplish their missions assigned by the Party and people of each country. Defense cooperation also helped bolster the friendship and trust between the two peoples and armed forces of the two countries.
They discussed measures to continue implementing cooperation areas agreed by the two sides with a focus on the areas that the two sides have more potential and advantages, such as military medicine, training, defense industry, scientific research and logistics. Additionally, the two ministers agreed to increase exchange of delegation at all levels, sharing of experience in building an army in the current context. They also assigned relevant agencies of the two sides to discuss and work on a cooperation plan for the period of 2017-2019 in line with the Agreement on Defense Cooperation signed by the two sides.
After the talks, the two ministers witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Cuban Military Counterintelligence Department and Vietnamese Military Interior Security Protection Department.
As part of his Cuba visit, General Ngo Xuan Lich laid flowery wreaths at the Antonio Maceo Monument, spoke to the staff and students of the FAR Academy of General Maximo Gomez, and visited a number of units of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces.
Reported by Duc Minh from La Habana, Cuba
Translated by Thu Nguyen