Singapore (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with the foreign ministers of Cambodiaand Norway on August 2 on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’Meeting in Singapore.

Meeting with Cambodian Minister of ForeignAffairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn, Deputy PM Minhcongratulated Cambodia on the successful organisation of the election of thesixth parliament, saying that the good initial results reflected voters’ trustin the leadership of the Cambodian People’s Party.

He voiced his belief that the soundneighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnamand Cambodia will develop more strongly in the future.

The two officials agreed to work together toprepare for high-ranking visits and bilateral cooperation mechanisms later thisyear, including a meeting on border provinces’ cooperation and a political consultationbetween the two foreign ministries.

They also affirmed the determination toimplement cooperation projects effectively and on schedule, and speed up landborder demarcation and marker planting in order to build border areas of peace,stability, cooperation and development.

Minister Prak Sokhonn affirmed that theCambodian Government gives high priority to promptly complete the granting oflegal papers for Cambodians of Vietnamese origin.

Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides agreedon the need to accelerate negotiations to soon reach a substantive andeffective Code of Conduct in the East Sea, thus contributing to peace,stability and development in the region and the world.


At his meeting with Norwegian Foreign MinisterEriksen Søreide, the Vietnamese Deputy PM called on the two countries toincrease delegation exchanges at all levels. He affirmed that Vietnamencourages Norwegian companies to invest in marine economic sectors,shipbuilding, oil and gas, aquaculture and renewable energy in Vietnam.

He asked Norway to keep promoting the talks on afree trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association.

Valuing the European country’s role as asectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN, he hoped that Norway will continue supportingthe bloc’s central role and further assist development in the CLMV nations(Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam).

Minister Søreide said Vietnam is an importantpartner in ASEAN of her country, adding that more and more Norwegian businessesare showing interest in the region, including Vietnam. Norway will alsostrengthen cooperation with Vietnam both bilaterally and multilaterally atregional and international forums. –VNA