VietNamNet Bridge – National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has affirmed Viet Nam's consistent policy of attaching importance to developing the traditional friendship and multifaceted co-operation with Sri Lanka.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung receives Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa in Ha Noi yesterday.

Hung made the remarks at talks with visiting Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa in Ha Noi yesterday, July 15.

The Vietnamese legislative chief expressed his hope that Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa's visit would further tighten the relationship between the two countries.

He congratulated Sri Lanka on its significant achievements in maintaining peace, stability, national concord and reconciliation as well as the triumphs in its efforts in national construction and reconstruction.

The NA leader said he believed that under the sound guidance of its leaders, Sri Lanka would rapidly become a prosperous country and play a more important role in the region and the world over.

Chairman Hung noted with joy the active development of the traditional friendship and multifaceted co-operation between the two countries and the fruitful links between the two legislative bodies in particular.

Apart from fine relations in politics, Viet Nam and Sri Lanka had cultivated ties in economics, trade and investment. However, the outcomes had yet to match their potential, he said.

Viet Nam wished to step up co-operation with Sri Lanka in areas related to both countries' strengths and needs such as agriculture, aquaculture, infrastructure development, culture, education and national defence and security, he noted.

The NA chief expressed his hope that Sri Lanka would share its experience in applying international laws to several fields, including addressing trade disputes and ensuring maritime security and safety, saying Viet Nam was willing to share its experience in national construction and reconstruction.

Thanking Sri Lanka for backing Viet Nam as the host of the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union scheduled for 2015, the legislative chief said he hoped that Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa would lead a high-ranking delegation to the event.

For his part, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa thanked Viet Nam for its support of his country in regard to national construction and reconstruction.

He expressed his delight with the strong performance of the two countries' friendship parliamentarians' groups, improved legislative ties and people-to-people exchanges.

The speaker underlined the need for the two countries to strengthen their co-operation in tourism, aviation and aquatic products. This would compliment their existing links related to national defence and security, as well as trade and investment.

At the talks, host and guest agreed to further enhance the friendship and co-operation between the two legislative bodies. They intended to work closely with each other in supervising the implementation of agreements reached by the two Governments and to create a favourable legal environment that would boost trade and investment for both countries.

The two sides will also increase the exchange of delegations and other groups in order to share their experiences in parliamentary and legislative activities, while also agreeing to consult each other at multilateral forums.

President's meeting

The same day, the Sri Lankan Parliament leader had a meeting with President Truong Tan Sang, during which he suggested that the two countries intensify and expand co-operation in new areas such as aviation, tourism and aquatic products. This would compliment existing ties in national defence and security, as well as trade and investment.

The guest also noted the fruitful results of bilateral co-operation since diplomatic ties were established in 1970. He expressed his gratitude for Viet Nam's support of his country in the areas of human rights and territorial sovereignty.

For his part, Sang expressed his delight at the significant achievements Sri Lanka had achieved in socio-economic development. He said he hoped Sri Lanka and its people would become more prosperous.

Reminding the guest of the similarities shared between the two countries in their past struggles for national independence as well as the present process of national construction and development, the Vietnamese State leader recalled the fact that President Ho Chi Minh paid three visits to Sri Lanka.

Historical sites that recorded the activities of the late President had been preserved and upgraded in Sri Lanka, and served as vivid reminders of the solidarity and friendship existing between the two peoples, he added.

Sang stressed that Viet Nam and Sri Lanka had co-operated and backed each other in regional and international forums.

Noting improvements in two-way trade, which had hovered at $1 billion in recent years, the President recommended that the two countries intensify exchanges of delegations at all levels as well as beef up the implementation of signed deals.

Also yesterday, a ceremony was held in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, to start the construction of a monument to President Ho Chi Minh.

Source: VNS