Strengthening supervision and effective implementation of agreements between Vietnam and Sri Lanka

On the morning of April 24, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan chaired the official welcoming ceremony for the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament and a high-ranking delegation of the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, the two sides held talks. At the talks, the two National Assembly Chairmen agreed that the National Assemblies and their agencies need to strengthen supervision and promote the effective implementation of the agreements and treaties signed by the two countries.

On behalf of the National Assembly of Vietnam, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan warmly welcomed the President and the high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to their official visit to Vietnam; and highly appreciated the important significance of the visit to the traditional friendship and cooperation in general, and the friendship and cooperation between the two legislative bodies in particular. The National Assembly Chairwoman believes that the President's visit will be a great success.

Thanking the President of the National Assembly and the National Assembly of Vietnam for their warm welcome, the President of the National Assembly of Sri Lanka expressed his admiration for the achievements that Vietnam has made in recent times. In Sri Lanka, in the past and present, President Ho Chi Minh is admired by the Sri Lankan people and a statue has been placed in Colombo, Mr. Karu Jayasuria emphasized, this is the only statue of a foreign leader in Sri Lanka.

Briefing National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on the political and economic situation of Sri Lanka, Mr. Karu Jayasuria said that over the past 70 years, Sri Lanka has experienced many difficulties from civil wars to the devastation of terrorism and now is the time for Sri Lanka to maintain its foreign policy combined with economic development. This includes the parliamentary diplomacy policy. To implement this policy, Sri Lanka maintains a policy of cooperation with parliaments around the world. Vietnam is one of 52 countries with such a relationship. This official visit to Vietnam aims to further promote the relationship between the two countries and the two parliaments in the coming time.

The two sides should soon implement a security dialogue mechanism at the level of the Minister of Public Security every two years; promote cooperation in sharing information and experience, and improve capacity in preventing transnational crimes and counter-terrorism, etc., to ensure security in each country.

The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament expressed his wish to sign a cooperation agreement with Vietnam in the police field, specifically the two sides will sign a cooperation agreement between the two People's Police Academies. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan highly appreciated this cooperation agreement.

The two National Assembly Chairmen acknowledged that bilateral trade has increased steadily over the years, reaching nearly 320 million USD in 2017; at the same time, they affirmed that the two countries have great potential for cooperation and need to promote exploitation, especially in key areas such as oil and gas, infrastructure, information technology and communications, textiles, rubber, footwear, processing and distribution of agricultural and aquatic products, milk production and consumption, renewable energy, air and maritime transport.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hopes that in the coming time, the two sides need to actively and effectively implement the results of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister's visit to Vietnam (April 2017) and the signed cooperation documents; consider amending and signing new documents in accordance with the new situation.

The two sides will promote the exchange of delegations at all levels; hold the second meeting of the Joint Trade Subcommittee in Vietnam soon to discuss measures to remove obstacles, striving to soon bring the two-way trade turnover to the target of 1 billion USD; strengthen measures to promote investment and connect trade; propose directions for effective implementation of the Agreement on investment promotion and protection, and the Minutes of cooperation to promote bilateral investment.

The President of the Sri Lankan Parliament proposed cooperation with Vietnam in the agricultural sector, pledging to support Vietnam in technology for growing sea cucumbers, seaweed, and seafood; and asked Vietnam to share professional experience and cooperate with experts in the agricultural sector.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan agreed with the proposal of the Sri Lankan National Assembly Chairwoman; hoped that both sides would support each other and avoid competition in products that both sides have strengths in, such as tea, coffee, seafood, etc.

The National Assembly Chairman hopes that Sri Lanka will have a more active voice on the East Sea issue; support the stance of Vietnam and ASEAN, especially on principled contents such as freedom of navigation and aviation, compliance with international law, settlement of disputes by peaceful means, and demilitarization in the East Sea.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan highly appreciated the official visit of the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament to Vietnam in July 2013 and the Vice Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament attending the 132nd IPU Assembly hosted by the Vietnamese National Assembly in March 2015. The Vietnamese National Assembly established the Vietnam-Sri Lanka Friendship Parliamentarians Group consisting of 9 members to promote cooperation between the two parliaments and enhance exchanges between parliamentarians of the two countries.

In the coming time, the two National Assembly Chairmen said that the two countries' National Assemblies should maintain and increase the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially between specialized committees, to share information and experience in parliamentary activities, legislative and supervisory experience; further promote the role of the Friendship Parliamentarians' Groups of the two countries in promoting cooperation between the two National Assemblies in particular and the two countries in general; strengthen the supervisory role and promote the effective implementation of agreements and treaties signed by the two countries. The two sides should step up coordination and mutual support at international parliamentary forums, especially at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

This evening, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan will hold an official reception for the President, his wife and members of the delegation./.

Le Tuyet