According to the VNA correspondent in Brussels, at the meeting, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung thanked the close, active, and effective coordination of High Representative Kaja Kallas and the European External Affairs Agency (EEAS) in preparing and arranging the official visit to the EU by General Secretary and President To Lam; emphasizing that the visit is of historical significance, demonstrating the increasingly deep level of political trust, as well as the strong commitment of both sides to bringing the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new level, making it increasingly substantive and effective.
For her part, High Representative Kaja Kallas appreciated the significance and importance of the visit, affirming that the EU values its relationship with Vietnam, a priority partner of the EU in the Indo -Pacific region; and highly appreciated Vietnam’s development achievements, its role and increasing position in the region and on the international stage.
Ms. Kaja Kallas emphasized that Vietnam and the EU share many views and interests in promoting multilateralism, maintaining a rules-based international order, supporting free trade, ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight, and peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of international law.
Both sides agreed to continue strengthening coordination between the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the EEAS to promote the effective implementation of the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; maintain regular exchanges of delegations, contacts and consultations at all levels, effectively utilize existing cooperation mechanisms, and actively review and urge the implementation of agreements and commitments of high-level leaders of both sides, especially the results achieved during this visit of General Secretary and President To Lam.
Discussing regional and international issues of common concern, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung highly appreciated the EU’s cooperation strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, affirming Vietnam’s readiness to continue playing a bridging role, promoting the ASEAN-EU relationship to develop in a comprehensive, substantive, and effective manner, contributing to strengthening connectivity between the two regions, and promoting peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development.
Both sides agreed to continue to coordinate closely in regional and international forums, leverage common interests and perspectives, strengthen cooperation on traditional and non-traditional security issues, support ASEAN’s central role, and uphold the United Nations Charter and international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).