(VOVworld) - Ireland supports an early ratification of the Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation agreement (PCA) and conclusion of Vietnam-EU free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations this year, to facilitate Vietnamese exports to Ireland and tourism exchanges.

Irish officials announced their commitment while receiving Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son during his visit last week. Son met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore,  Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Joe Costello and Irish Aid General Director Brendan Rogers. The two sides agreed on measures to expand Vietnam-Ireland relations by increasing exchange visits, encouraging their business communities to invest in areas of strength such as agriculture, food and dairy product processing, and telecommunications, and strengthening cooperation in education-training and other areas: "Son briefed the Vietnamese community in Ireland on Vietnam’s socio-economic situation and major policies, including incentives for overseas Vietnamese".