VN, Bolivia discuss ways to beef up ties

State President Truong Tan Sang (R) and Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera, Ha Noi, September 25, 2012

State President Sang made the pledge while receiving visiting Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera in Ha Noi on September 25.

The Vietnamese Head of State also expressed his hope that the two countries would continue to strengthen cooperation in all fields.

He spoke highly of the visit by Vice President Linera, the most senior State leader of Bolivia ever coming to Viet Nam, since the two countries set up diplomatic ties.

For his part, Vice President Linera said trade ties between the two sides have seen positive changes, yet matched the potential. He added hat his visit aims to seek ways to lift the two countries’ relations to a new height, creating a mechanism for bilateral trade collaboration.

The same day, Vietnamese Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan held talks with her Bolivian counterpart Alvaro Garcia Linera. 

Madam Doan described the first official visit to Viet Nam by the Bolivian high-ranking State delegation as an important milestone and new impetus for promoting the two countries’ relations.

Viet Nam attaches importance to developing friendship and cooperation with Bolivia for the sake of the two peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world at large, she said.

She said Viet Nam and Bolivia share many similarities in history and proposed Bolivia to soon recognize Viet Nam’s market economy status.

Both sides should continue supporting each other at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).

For his part, the Bolivian Vice State President highly valued Viet Nam’s position and international prestige and its great achievements in renewal and national development.

The two leaders agreed on measures to promote their countries’ future cooperative relations, including the exchange of high-ranking delegations and the early establishment of inter-sectoral agencies to speed up specific cooperation programs.

Both sides are willing to accelerate the preparation for the signing of an agreement on investment encouragement and protection and double taxation avoidance.

After the talks, the two sides witnessed the signing of an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders and a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries./. 

By Huong Giang