Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong (second, left) and the Vietnamese delegation at the 141st IPU Assembly (Photo: VNA) Belgrade (VNA) – Vice Chairwoman of the NationalAssembly (NA) Tong Thi Phong had separate meetings with President of theInternational Parliamentary Union (IPU) Gabriela Cuevas Barron and VicePresident of the Cuban National Assembly Ana Maria Mari Machado on October 15on the sidelines of the 141st IPU Assembly.
At the meeting with IPU President Gabriela Cuevas Barron,Phong congratulated the IPU on the union’s 130th anniversary, whichshows the strong vitality of multilateralism and the development ofparliamentary diplomacy, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and promotingdialogue and cooperation for the future of humankind.
Joining the IPU in 1979, the Vietnamese NA has activelyengaged in the organisation’s activities, she said, lauding the IPU cooperationand support for the country in realizing its sustainable development goals overthe past two years.
Currently, Vietnam has implemented its commitments to theIPU and the United Nations regarding ensuring sustainable development andimproving people’s material and spiritual lives by issuing new legislation,including the Labour Code, the Law on Youth, the Law on the Elderly, and theLaw on Alcohol and Tobacco Harm Prevention, she noted.
The Vietnamese officialasked the IPU President to continuesupporting Vietnam in fulfilling its commitments. On the occasion, she invitedthe IPU leader to visit Vietnam and attend an international conference onnutrition and health care with a focus on ethnic groups in 2020.
For her part, IPU President Barron spoke highly of the roleVietnam plays as an active and responsible IPU member, especially inimplementing commitments and action programmes set out by the union.
Noting that in the Asia-Pacific region, the results ofimplementing a number of sustainable development goals have remained modest,she suggestedVietnam share its experience with regional countries in the field.
She also expressed her hope that with Vietnam’s experienceand performanceas well as the dynamic development of the region, Asiancountries and Vietnam will succeed in completing all of their targets.
At the meeting with Vice President of the Cuban NationalAssembly Ana Maria Mari Machado, Phong showed her delight at the growth of thespecial traditional friendship between Vietnam and Cuba, especially after thevisit of Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong in March 2018and the return visit by Chairman of the Cuban State Council and the Council of Ministers Miguel Diaz-Canel in November 2018.
Leaders of both sides have agreed to strengthen cooperationand experience sharing, which is also the orientations for collaborationbetween the two NAs, she said, showing her pleasure at the progress in the legislativebodies’ partnership, especially in sharing experience and setting up friendshipparliamentarian groups.
She proposed that the two sides increase delegation exchangeto share experience in legislative and supervision activities as well as thestrengthening of the NA’s role in the political system, parliamentary diplomacyand cooperation at multilateral international parliamentary forums.
Phong thanked Cuba for supporting Vietnam to become anon-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.Recognising difficulties and challenges facing Cuba currently, she affirmed thatVietnam supports Cuba’s just stance in fighting for embargolifting.
For her part, Ana Maria Mari Machado said that Cuba hopes tolearn from the Vietnamese NA’s experience in law building and supervision.
She proposed that the two sides work closely to hold aconference between Vietna𝓡mese and Cuban NA leaders in 2020. She also expressedhope that Vietnam will continue supporting Cuba’s standpoint in removingembargoes./.
