Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always treasures the sound traditional friendshipwith Kazakhstan, affirmed Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan at a meeting withChairman of the Senate of the Kazakh Parliament Maulen Ashimbayev in Kazakhstanon October 12.

On the day, Xuan began her trip to the country toattend the sixth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and ConfidenceBuilding Measures in Asia (CICA) and conduct a number of bilateral activities.

At her meeting with Ashimbayev, the Vietnameseofficial expressed her delight at progress recorded in political ties betweenthe nations via maintaining exchanges of their State andparliament delegations.

She conveyed to her host an invitation to visit Vietnamfrom Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

Lauding tight and effective collaboration betweenthe two parliaments, the officials agreed to further the ties via boosting theexchange of delegations and experiences on legislative works and coordinatingin monitoring and promoting the effective implementation of bilateralagreements.

Xuan suggested the countries capitalise onopportunities brought about by the free trade agreement between Vietnam and theEurasian Economic Union (EAEU - including Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstanand Kyrgyzstan) as well as on an official direct air route expected to belaunched soon.

Discussing regional and international issues ofmutual concern, they agreed that all disputes and conflicts must be resolved bypeaceful means on the basis of international law.

Also on October 12, Xuan received AmbassadorKairat Sarybay, Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat; and MeenakashiLekhi, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and for Culture.

Hosting Sarybay, Xuan lauded CICA’s efforts forpeace, stability, and prosperity over the past three decades.

She said she hopes CICA will continue to upholdits credo, aims, and operating principles; and support the positions of ASEANand Vietnam in order to ensure peace, security, safety and freedom ofnavigation and overflight, and to settle disputes by peaceful measures on thebasis of respecting the UN Charter and international law, including the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Vice President stated that Vietnam willcontinue to make active and responsible contributions to CICA operations.

For his part, Sarybay hailed Vietnam’scontributions at CICA and wished Vietnam and other ASEAN member states to backthe formation of a partnership between the secretariats of CICA and ASEAN.

Meeting with Xuan, Lekhi, who heads the Indiandelegation to the summit, affirmed her wish to further strengthen theVietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership and recommended the sides increasetheir collaboration in trade-investment, clean energy development, economy,people and cultural exchanges; and tourism, particularly in the post-pandemicperiod.

Echoing the view, Xuan stated Vietnam attachesimportance to the bilateral partnership, proposing the increase of delegationexchange and programmes in economy, trade, tourism, and culture and thefacilitation of goods transactions between the two markets.

On the day, the Vietnamese official also met theliaison committee of the Kazakhstan-Vietnam Friendship Association; attended aceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Vietnam-Kazakhstan diplomaticrelations; an event opening Vietjet Air’s direct air route between Cam Ranh ofVietnam and Almaty of Kazakhstan./.