Vietnam is determined to further deepen its relations with the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), as well as the latter’s members, though teaching French, affirmed Ambassador Duong Van Quang.

AmbassadorQuang, who is head of the Vietnamese delegation to UNESCO, made thestatement when talking with the Vietnam News Agency correspondent inParis following the screen of two Vietnamese films at the Francophonefilm festival in Paris from March 22-25.

Two Vietnamese films,including “Sinh Menh” (The Destiny in English or Le Destin in French) bydirector Dao Duy Phuc and screenwriter Nguyen Manh Tuan, and “Chuyencua Pao” (The Story of Pao in English or L’Histoire de Pao in French) bydirector and screenwriter Ngo Quang Hai, had French subtitles.

TheVietnamese diplomat highlighted Vietnam’s initiative to organise theFrancophone film festival in France in 2011, saying this was one of theactivities in response to International Day of Francophonie (March 20).

Apartfrom politics, cultural and language cooperation is considered the“spine” of the organisation and besides English, French is also animportant language in the international arena, Quang said.

Hewent on to say that Vietnam has also beefed up cooperation with OIFmembers such as tripartite cooperation in agriculture with Africancountries, with encouraging results.

Vietnam has coordinated withOIF to diversify its relations and the organisation has in returnworked closely with Vietnam, which has an important role ininternational forums, including OIF, and in the Asia Paficic, thediplomat said.

Within the framework of the International Day ofFrancophonie, two Vietnamese students, Hoang Hai Anh and Tran Ngoc Anh,won prizes at the French language contest, “Golden words”. The annualcontest was held by the International Francophone Press Union inassociation with the Ministry of Culture and Communications and theMinistry of Foreign and European Affairs.-VNA