This was reached by President Truong Tan Sang and his Hungarian counterpart Ader Janos during their talks in Hanoi on November 27.

President Truong Tan Sang described the Hungarian leader’s visit as an important milestone creating a strong force for stepping up the two countries’ time-honoured friendship and multi-faceted cooperation in the time ahead.

He voiced his thanks for the valuable support the Hungarian people have given to Vietnam during its struggle for liberation in the past and its national construction at present.

Speaking highly of the achievements gained by Vietnam in its renovation and its higher position in the regional and international arenas, President Ader Janos confirmed that Hungary always considers Vietnam its traditional partner in the region and wants to further develop its relations with the Southeast Asian country.

Hungary will open its consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City in 2015 to expand the partnership, he stated.

Both host and guest expressed their delight at the positive progresses in the bilateral relations over the past time, agreeing to coordinate closely with each other in organising activities to celebrate the 65 th anniversary of diplomatic ties, including photo exhibitions, film weeks, and art performances.

They were also unanimous in intensifying collaboration in education and training, science technology, defence, security, and agriculture.

The Vietnamese State leader proposed Hungary provide more official development assistance (ODA) for projects related to water resource management, afforestation, waste treatment, community healthcare and reform of the insurance system in Vietnam.

He also took this occasion to thank the Hungarian side for increasing the annual number of scholarships for Vietnamese students from 40 to 100 from 2015, and for supporting in the Vietnamese community living in the country.

Ader Janos, in turn, affirmed that as a positive member of the European Union, Hungary will continue its efforts to enhance the relations between Vietnam and the EU, and push up the approval of their Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA), the completion of negotiations on their free trade agreement and the union’s fully recognition of Vietnam as a market economy.

Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides agreed that all disputes must be solved by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and a Code of Conduct in the East Sea should be created soon.

After the talks, the two Presidents had a meeting with the media.

They also witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents, including a memorandum of understanding between Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications and Hungary’s Ministry of National Development, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in plant protection, a cooperation agreement with Radio the Voice of Vietnam and Hungary’s press agencies, and another on the establishment of a joint venture between the Agribank Securities Joint Stock Company and the Buda-Cash Broker House Co.

VNA/VNN