PANO - Vietnamese Defence Minister, General Phung Quang Thanh on August 14th started his four-day official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria at the invitation of Bulgarian counterpart Mr. Angel Naydenov.
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| Vietnamese Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh and his Bulgarian counterpart inspect the honour guard of the National Guards Unit of Bulgaria |
After the solemn reception ceremony the next morning in Sofia, General Phung Quang Thanh and his entourage laid a wreath at the Monument to Unknown Martyrs and had talks with the Bulgarian Defence Ministry delegation, headed by its minister Angel Naydenov.
The Vietnamese Defence Minister thanked the hosts for their friendly and solemn welcome and stressed that with the 63-years old bilateral ties, Vietnam would like to further promote the comprehensive cooperation with Bulgaria, one of Vietnam’s important partners in Europe.
On the occasion, General Phung Quang Thanh expressed gratitude to Bulgarian people’s and army’s support in the national salvaltion cause, considering it an important element contributing to the glorious victory of Vietnamese people over foreign invaders.
General Phung Quang Thanh emphasized that the bilateral comprehensive and efficient cooperation, especially the defence ties has served as a bridge for Vietnam to expand its relations with other European countries to achieve its goal of integrating into international community.
The Vietnamese Defence Minister also held that the Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation signed by the two defence ministries demonstrated the two sides’ wish to bring the bilateral relations in general and the defence ties in particular to a new height. The agreement would facilitate more exchanges of delegations at all levels, promote training and more effective cooperation in defence industry.
The Vietnamese Defence Minister believed that with a good foundation of the traditional relations and potential of each country, Vietnam-Bulgaria cooperation would obtain more effective results, meeting the two countries’ expectation and aspiration for peace, stability and development in the region and the rest of the world.
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| Vietnamese and Bulgarian Defence Ministers exchange the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation |
For his part, Bulgarian Defence Minister Angel Naydenov said that since 1990 and especially after Bulgaria won the EU membership, the country has focused on expanding its cooperation with other EU’s members and at the time enhanced its ties with other countries all over the world, especially with traditional friends. He affirmed that Vietnam is one of Bulgaria’s reliable and vital partners in Asia.
Minister Angel Naydenov held that the similar viewpoints of Vietnam and Bulgaria are the advantage to boost bilateral multi-faceted cooperation, including defence and hoped that the memo on defence cooperation would open up new cooperation areas such as exchanges of delegations and experiences on UN peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian activities, anti-terrorism and military technology.
After talks, two Defence Ministers signed on the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation.
Later in the evening, the Bulgarian Defence Minister opened a party for the Vietnamese guests.
* Also on August 15th, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev gave a courtesy reception to General Phung Quang Thanh and other senior Vietnamese officers.
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| Vietnamese Defence Minister pays a courtesy visit to Bulgarian President |
The President highly valued this official visit, considering it an evidence of the fruitful traditional relations between the two countries and the two armies. He informed the guests of Bulgaria’s achievements over the past time, especially the Government’s macro policy to help Bulgaria develop in line with its potential.
The President treasured Bulgaria’s ties with Vietnam and believed that the bilateral relationship would further develop after his coming visit to Vietnam and promised to create further conditions for the development of the bilateral defence ties, especially in training.
General Phung Quang Thanh thanked the Bulgarian President for his warm reception and extended to him the best regards from Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang.
He congratulated Bulgaria on its successful economic shift and effective integration into EU and confirmed that Bulgaria has an important position in Vietnam’s external policies and boosting the comprehensive ties with Bulgaria is Vietnamese people’s desire. He asked the host to create conditions for Vietnamese community in Bulgaria to integrate into society, contributing to promote the two countries’ traditional friendship.
* The senior military delegation of Vietnam, led by General Phung Quang Thanh on this occasion also visited Bulgarian Ministry of Economy and Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, talked with staff of Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria and Vietnamese cadets studying at Bulgaria’s National Military Academy.
Translated by Mai Huong