Azerbaijan considers Viet Nam an important partner in Southeast Asia and hopes to strengthen multifaceted relations with the country, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (L) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (Source: VNA)

Aliyev made the statement at a meeting on October 24 with Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh in Baku before the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit opens on October 25.

During their meeting, the Vietnamese official affirmed that Viet Nam attaches importance to developing and expanding the traditional friendship and all-around cooperation with Azerbaijan.

She suggested that the two countries increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, optimize the Viet Nam-Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Committee for economic-trade and science-technology cooperation and bolster partnership between their localities, particularly in the fields of oil and gas, education-training and tourism.

Discussing international and regional issues, Vice President Thinh and President Aliyev reached consensus on the need to uphold the rule of law in international relations.

Regarding the recent complicated developments on the East Sea, the Azerbaijani President expressed support of the stance of Viet Nam and ASEAN on addressing disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); respecting countries’ sovereignty, thus contributing to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

In this spirit, the two sides agreed to enhance coordination at international forums and organisations, especially the UN and the NAM.

They shared the view on the need to improve the role and effectiveness of the NAM in preserving peace and stability in the world.

The same day, Vice President Thinh chaired a meeting with Azerbaijani friends on the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Azerbaijan.

(Source: VNA)