Hanoi (VNA) – President Vo Van Thuong pledgedfavourable conditions for Vietnam - Cuba defence cooperation while receiving Sen.Lt. Gen. Roberto Legra Sotolongo, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, who is on aworking visit to Vietnam, in Hanoi on October 24.

The host highlighted the significanceof the trip, which follows the 60th founding anniversary of theCuban Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam (September 1963) – thepredecessor of the Cuba - Vietnam Friendship Association, and 50 years since Cubanleader Fidel Castro first visited Vietnam and the liberated zone in SouthVietnam in Quang Tri (September 1973).

He described the visit as a vividdemonstration of the close-knit and faithful relations between the twocountries and the two militaries, expressing his belief that it will besuccessful and contribute to relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Sotolongo affirmed the special Vietnam - Cuba solidarity, foundedby Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro and nurtured by generations of leaders and the people of the two countries.

Informing his host about the outcomes of the meetings andtalks between the delegation of the Cuban Ministry of Revolutionary ArmedForces and leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, he said thetwo sides discussed and agreed on cooperation areas to further intensify thetraditional friendship and special solidarity.

President Thuong emphasised that the Vietnamese and Cubanpeoples have consistently stayed united and supported each other duringrevolutionary periods and trying times. The Party, State, and people of Vietnamare delighted at the substantive development of the special solidarity andcooperation in multiple fields.

Before, during or after the pandemic,both sides maintained frequent mutual visits at all levels. In particular,the two ministries have kept close relations and mutual assistance in variousfields, and obtained practical and fruitful cooperation results, he noted.

To build on the achieved results, the State leader suggested that aside from increasinghigh-level meetings, the two ministries should step up exchanges andcooperation.

As the global situation remains complex, bilateral defencecooperation is of importance, he went on, adding that the Vietnamese Party andState always provide the best possible conditions for the Vietnamese ministry tocoordinate, share opinions, and cooperate with its Cuban counterpart in theareas matching their capabilities and demand.

He asked for stronger economic, trade, and investmentlinks to create an important material and logistical basis for nationalconstruction and safeguarding in each country.

Congratulating Cuba on the successful organisation of the recentsummit between the Group of 77 (G77) and China, President Thuong said Vietnamalways supports the Cuban people’s just struggle and objects to the embargo andsanctions against the Caribbean nation. He hopes the two peoples willstay united more strongly to jointly develop and safeguard their nations.

Thanking Vietnam for its consistent support for Cuba, Sotolongostated their solidarity is unique part of a special relationship globally and a symbol ofrelations and cooperation of the era.

Cuba hopes to further enhance relations and cooperationwith Vietnam, he added./.