Vice President Nguyen Thi Anh Xuan shakes hands with Chairman of the Senate of the Kazakh Parliament Maulen Ashimbayev (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

She had a meeting with Chairman of the Senate of the Kazakh Parliament Maulen Ashimbayev on Wednesday and said Vietnam always treasures the sound traditional friendship with Kazakhstan.

Both agreed to further the ties via boosting the exchange of delegations and experiences on legislative works and coordinating in monitoring and promoting the effective implementation of bilateral agreements.

Vice President Xuan suggested the two sides work together to promote their advantages as both countries are gateways to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Central Asia regions, and capitalize on opportunities brought about by the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union as well as on opening an official direct air route. EAEU comprises Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

On Wednesday, receiving Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat, Vice President Xuan said she hopes CICA will continue to uphold its credo, aims, and operating principles; and support the positions of ASEAN and Vietnam in order to ensure peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and to settle disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of respecting the UN Charter and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Vice President affirmed that Vietnam will continue to make active and responsible contributions to CICA operations.