Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the working session (Source: Internet)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made the statement at a working session on Friday with Ambassador Bruno Angelet, head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, and ambassadors of EU member countries in Hanoi. Minh said he is delighted at the positive development of the Vietnam-EU relationship, especially both sides’ efforts to conclude legal reviews towards the official signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). He suggested Bruno Angelet and ambassadors of EU member countries work to develop the comprehensive partnership and cooperation between Vietnam and the EU as well as its member nations in a practical and effective manner in the time to come.

He expressed his wish that the EU countries will support Vietnam’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021. The official affirmed that Vietnam has been making every effort to deal with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and proposed the EU soon remove its “yellow card” warning to Vietnam’s fisheries sector. For his part, Bruno Angelet said Vietnam occupies a high place in EU's external policy and affirmed that he and the ambassadors of the EU member countries will try their best to deepen the Vietnam-EU cooperation, particularly pushing for the early signing of the EVFTA and bringing it into effect. At the working session, Deputy PM Minh openly exchanged ideas with the EU ambassadors on priorities in Vietnam’s foreign policy as well as regional and international issues of common concern such as traditional and non-traditional security matters, sustainable development, promotion of human rights, and maintenance of peace, stability and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.