Sofia (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Pham Binh Minh has assured Bulgarian leaders that the Vietnamesegovernment and people want to strengthen friendship and cooperation withBulgaria – a trustworthy friend and partner of Vietnam over the past years.

He has reiterated the consistent policy of Vietnam duringmeetings with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Deputy Prime MinisterTomislav Donchev during a three-day visit to Bulgaria from July 3-5.

At the meeting with the Vietnamese Deputy PM on July 3, PresidentRumen Radev recalled the tradition of bilateral friendship over the past nearlyseven decades. He spoke highly of Vietnam’s economic achievements with a grossdomestic product growth of over 6 percent in recent years, making Vietnam oneof the most vibrant economies in Southeast Asia.

He said both nations always work closely together onregional and global issues, affirming that Bulgaria supports the early signingand ratification of the European Union - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.

Both sides agreed to further enhance their all-around ties,and the host pledged to direct Bulgarian government and relevant agencies to soonconvene a meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee to discuss specificmeasures.

The Bulgarian President also accepted President Tran DaiQuang’s invitation to visit Vietnam with pleasure.

During the meeting between Deputy PM Minh and his Bulgariancounterpart Tomislav Donchev, the two officials expressed satisfaction about strengthenedpolitical ties via all-level visits, especially those at high level, and vowedto offer mutual support at multilateral forums such as the United Nations andthe Asia-Europe Meeting.

They consented to take specific measures to lift bilateraleconomic-trade-investment ties, including piloting joint-venture models ofmanufacturing for selling in Europe and other markets over the world.

The two sides underscored the need to lift education-trainingcooperation and tap Bulgaria’s experience in training over 3,000 engineers andofficials for Vietnam in the past.

They agreed to soon hold the 24th meeting of theInter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade Cooperation and the fifthmeeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Science-Technology Cooperation,making it easier for the two nations’ enterprises to seek partners and exploremarkets.

Talking with the overseas Vietnamese community in theafternoon the same day, Minh affirmed that Vietnam pursues the policy of rapidand sustainable economic development, active and proactive external relations tobest serve national interests in tandem with firmly safeguarding nationalsovereignty and territorial integrity.-VNA