During the meeting, General Abdel Mageed Saqr warmly welcomed General Phan Van Giang. He expressed admiration and congratulations for the remarkable achievements obtained by Vietnam over the past time, and highly appreciated Vietnam’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region and the world.
General Saqr also emphasized the importance of defense cooperation in bilateral relations between the two countries and affirmed Egypt’s desire to strengthen collaboration with Vietnam in this field.
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General Phan Van Giang meets with General Abdel Mageed Saqr. |
Expressing the impression during his first visit to Egypt, Gen. Giang stated that despite the geographical distance, Vietnam and Egypt have always maintained a traditional and friendly relationship both during their struggles for national independence in the past and in their current cause of national building and development. He emphasized that President Luong Cuong’s state visit once again affirms Vietnam’s respect for and desire to enhance cooperation with Egypt. Within the overall positive bilateral ties between the two countries, Gen. Giang stressed that defense cooperation is an area of particular interest to both sides' senior leaders and holds great potential for development.
Sharing views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, the Vietnamese defense chief reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, diversification and multilateralization of external relations. He emphasized that Vietnam hopes to be a friend and reliable partner to all countries and international organizations, and stands ready to cooperate for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. Vietnam remains steadfast in resolving all disputes and differences via peaceful means, based on international law. Regarding defense policy, he affirmed that Vietnam stays persistent in its “four no's” defense policy.
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General Phan Van Giang presents a gift to General Abdel Mageed Saqr. |
Based on Gen. Giang’s proposals, both sides agreed to continue to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, with priority given to promoting delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level ones, to deepen mutual understanding and trust and explore cooperation opportunities; enhancing cooperation in training and education; prioritizing collaboration in U.N. peacekeeping operations; boosting defense industry and military trade cooperation; and exploring potential collaboration in other areas of mutual interest.
The Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam welcomed defense delegations from Egypt to visit and work in Vietnam and expressed a desire for both sides to increase engagement at multilateral forums. Vietnam also proposed that both countries study the possibility of establishing permanent Defense Attaché Offices in each country.
In addition, Vietnam welcomed Egypt’s proposals for cooperation in training, experience sharing in weapons and equipment maintenance and usage, and logistics and military medicine. Vietnam further suggested that the Egyptian Ministry of Defense, as well as Minister Abdel Mageed Saqr personally, would support and facilitate efforts by the Military Industry-Telecoms Group (Viettel) to research and explore the Egyptian market in the time to come, thereby creating favorable conditions for advancing cooperation in science, technology, telecommunications, and digital transformation.
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The two defense ministries sign a Letter of Intent on promoting defense cooperation. |
The two defense ministers believed that with a solid foundation and the important outcomes achieved during this visit, the Vietnam - Egypt bilateral defense cooperation will see significant breakthroughs in the near future, becoming one of the key pillars in the two countries’ relations and making active contribution to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.
After the meeting, the two defense ministries signed a Letter of Intent on promoting defense cooperation.
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A Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in U.N. peacekeeping operations is signed. |
* On the same day, Major General Pham Manh Thang, Director of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, visited the Liaison Agency with International Organizations under the Egyptian Ministry of Defense. During the visit, Major General Pham Manh Thang and the agency’s chief Brigadier General Ayman Shebl Habib exchanged experience and agreed to support each other in enhancing capabilities and make more contribution to global peace. On the occasion, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in U.N. peacekeeping operations.
Reported by Thu Trang from Cairo, Egypt
Translated by Quynh Oanh