On Thursday the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ihor Kalyetnik met with delegation of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam headed by Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Huynh Ngoc Son.
I. Kalyetnik stressed that “Vietnam has always been a friendly country for Ukraine,” and noted that “Ukrainian-Vietnamese dialogue has activated significantly over the last years.”
He reminded that since 2011 a number of meetings have been held: official visits to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam were made by President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov. Moreover, state visit of President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang to Ukraine is planned for 2014. As far as I am concerned, now this issue is being considered by the Vietnamese Party,” he said.
According to the First Deputy Chairman of the Parliament, if cooperation continues at the level of the highest leadership of our countries, then cooperation between our parliaments has considerable potential.
“Cooperation and interparliamentary dialogue between Ukraine and Vietnam requires activation, as well as more intensive interaction both at the level of our leadership and at the level of the parliamentary “friendship groups,” – he said.
“The first and only visit of the leader of the highest legislative body of our country to Vietnam was in 2010. Following its results, interparliamentary friendship groups between Ukraine and Vietnam were formed and now our group includes 31 people’s deputies,” noted I. Kalyetnik.
He added that it is necessary to continue the practice of exchanging visits at the level of the parliament’s chairmen of both countries in order to exchange experience and to settle issues of mutual interest.
In his turn, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian Party “for assistance both during the war years and during the peaceful building” and highly appreciated friendship between our countries, as well as mutual support in the international arena. He stressed that the aim of the delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam visit to Ukraine is development of bilateral cooperation. Huynh Ngoc Son said Vietnam is ready to be “the bridge between Ukraine and countries of Southeast Asia.”
He extended an invitation to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to visit Vietnam in 2015 at interparliamentary forum.
“It is pleasant to note that there are no contradictions regarding main issues of international politics between our countries,” stressed Ihor Kalyetnik.