Defense cooperation promotes Vietnam-France relations
At the invitation of Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Chief of the French Joint Staff, a high-ranking Vietnamese military delegation led by Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, member of the Party Central Committee and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, paid an official friendly visit to the French Republic from June 24-27.
Chief of the General Staff, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty and Admiral, Chief of the French Joint Staff, Edouard Guillaud, inspect the honor guard. (Photo: Le Ha-Trung Dung/Vietnam+)
On the morning of June 24, the welcoming ceremony for the high-ranking Vietnamese military delegation took place according to high-level military protocol. Chief of the General Staff Do Ba Ty reviewed the French Army's honor guard.
Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, the high-ranking Vietnamese military delegation led by Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty and the French military delegation led by Admiral Edouard Guillaud held talks.
The two sides exchanged views on a number of regional and world situations of mutual concern.
Regarding bilateral relations, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty highly appreciated the Vietnam-France relationship and said that the relationship between the two countries is developing well under the motto "Traditional friendship, comprehensive, long-term and trustworthy cooperation for the 21st century", towards a strategic partnership. Vietnam values and wishes to develop a comprehensive relationship with the French Republic.
Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty emphasized that this visit to the French Republic by the high-ranking Vietnamese military delegation took place in the context of the two countries celebrating the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and to further promote bilateral defense relations.
The General reviewed some of the effective cooperation contents in recent times, such as the annual meeting mechanism of the Joint Defense Committee, cooperation in the field of defense science and technology, and exchange of experiences in military medicine and hydrography.
Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty thanked the French Ministry of Defense for creating conditions for a number of officers of the Vietnam People's Army to study in France in majors such as military medicine and electronic technology.
Regarding the direction of cooperation in the coming time, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty suggested that the two sides should continue to implement the defense cooperation relationship more effectively according to the signed Defense Cooperation Agreement, including exchanging delegations at all levels, continuing to maintain the annual meeting mechanism of the Joint Committee on Defense Cooperation, enhancing exchanges between strategic research agencies, exchanging experiences in participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations, exchanging training, and France continuing to support Vietnam in joining the International Hydrographic Organization.
Regarding cooperation in multilateral forums, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty said that with an open foreign policy and active international integration, Vietnam always wishes to strengthen cooperation with France in regional and international multilateral forums and through this cooperation, together contribute to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world. Vietnam is ready to be a bridge for France to expand relations with ASEAN countries.
Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty believes that promoting the above cooperation contents will contribute to new developments in the defense sector, in line with the interests of the two countries.
The General conveyed General Phung Quang Thanh's regards and invitation to visit Vietnam to French Defense Minister Jean Yves Le Drian.
Admiral Edouard Guillaud highly appreciated the position and role of Vietnam in the Asia-Pacific region in general and ASEAN in particular, expressed his respect for the Vietnam-France relationship, including defense relations, and said that the visit to France by the high-ranking Vietnamese military delegation was a practical activity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, contributing to promoting the relationship between the two countries in general and defense relations in particular. France highly appreciated this visit.
Admiral Edouard Guillaud agreed on the contents of future cooperation within the framework of the Agreement between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the French Ministry of National Defense on cooperation in the defense field and emphasized that France welcomes Vietnam to participate in United Nations peacekeeping activities and is ready to share experiences and help Vietnam in the preparation process.
The Admiral affirmed that as a founding country, France will support Vietnam's early accession to the International Hydrographic Organization; France supports Vietnam's viewpoint in resolving disputes by peaceful means, in compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The French Joint Chief of Staff affirmed that effective cooperation in the defense field between the two countries will contribute to ensuring security, peace and stability in the region and the legitimate interests of each country.
On the same evening, Admiral Edouard Guillaud hosted a reception for the high-ranking Vietnamese military delegation./.
According to (Vietnam+) - LT
