(VOVworld) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received on Tuesday in Hanoi the Ambassador and head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, Bruno Angelet. He told Ambassador Angelet that Vietnam and the European Union (EU) will sign an agreement on the official conclusion of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) during his working trip to EU headquarters next week. He described the EU – Vietnam FTA, whose negotiations were recently finalized “in principle”, as a milestone in promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation and lifting their all-round partnership to a new height. He noted that during the upcoming visit to the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament, the Vietnamese side will discuss major orientations for and measures enhancing bilateral ties with the EU leaders. Mr. Dung hailed progress in Vietnam – EU relations, saying Vietnam treasures its ties with the EU and wants to work with the EU in a stronger and more comprehensive collaboration. He urged the EU to approve the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) as soon as possible.

At the meeting, Bruno Angelet, former the Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam, said Vietnam is one of EU’s leading ASEAN partners and Vietnam-EU cooperation will be expanded beyond economics, trade and investment into politics, diplomacy and security.