(VOV) - The European Union and Vietnam will strengthen cooperation in politics, security-national defence, economics, trade, and investment, as well as in development cooperation and immigration. The agreement was reached during a high-level political consultation between the EU and Vietnam in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday.
The meeting, the second of its kind, was co-chaired by David O’Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Bui Thanh Son, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.Both sides identified a list of prioritised areas to be carried out this year to early kick-start the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 2013.
They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including climate change, ASEAN-EU and Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation, the East Sea issue, human rights, and peacekeeping activity.They all agreed that the EU and Vietnam will further cooperate closely and support each other at regional and international forums.
While staying in Brussels, Son met with his Belgian counterpart Dirk Achten, reviewing bilateral cooperation in politics, economics, trade, investment, development cooperation, science-technology, and education. They agreed to work closely to successfully organise the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Belgium.