Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle meet with the press after the talks (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle discussed measures to boost future bilateral ties during their talks in Berlin yesterday. They also exchanged views on each country’s situation as well as common concern on regional and international issues. The two leaders agreed that in the future, both countries will increase the exchange of delegations at high-ranking level and boost cooperation in education, economics, and culture. Both spoke enthusiastically of the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership. They discussed the possibility of creating framework to develop the bilateral cooperation in a strong, comprehensive and effective manner. The two sides agreed to foster education and training cooperation, especially in carrying out the project of building the Vietnam-Germany University and developing it into an excellent institution in the region. Minh affirmed that Vietnam will create the right conditions for Germany to extend the program on teaching German at schools in Vietnam. The two sides expressed concerns about the recent development in the East Sea, has had negative impacts on regional peace and stability. They agreed that disputes should be resolved by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Guido Westerwele said that over the past decades Vietnam’s position has been strengthened in the international arena. He affirmed that Germany will assist negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the EU. He expressed concerns about increased tension in the East Sea, especially between China and Japan and called on the parties involved to refrain and settle disputes through peaceful and cooperative means.