President Vo Van Thuong (R) and Speaker of the Bulgarian National Assembly Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Prꦏesident Vo Van Thuong has extended a warm welcome to Speakerof the Bulgarian National Asseꦏmbly Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov on his official visitto Vietnam at the outset of the new year, saying that the trip showcased thehigh level of political trust in the cooperative relationshipbetween the two nations.
At a reception for the Speaker in Hanoi on January 8, PresidentThuong believed that the visit will generate an impetus to bolster the Vietnam-Bulgaria traditional ties and mark a significant milestone for thebeginning of celebrations for the 75th founding anniversary of bilateraldiplomatic ties in 2025, thus elevating the bilateral relations to a new height.Jeliazkov, for his part, informedthe host about his successful talks with Chairman of the Vietnamese NA VuongDinh Hue. He wished that both sides would actively carry out existing cooperationmechanisms, including meetings of the Vietnam-Bulgaria Inter-GovernmentalCommittee.
Expressing a desire for collaboration with Vietnam in trade,investment, national defence and security, he noted that the Bulgarian delegationhad paid working trips to several Vietnamese localities and found out thatthere remains untapped potential of cooperation between the two countries’ localities,especially in economy and people-to-people exchanges.
He also welcomed Vietnam's initiative to send Vietnameselanguage teachers to Bulgaria.
The Speaker wished that Vietnam would serve as a bridge tofacilitate cooperation between Bulgaria and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as between ASEAN andthe European Union (EU).
In reply, President Thuong affirmed that Vietnam always values itsrelationship with Bulgaria. He took this occasion to thank the European countryfor training thousands of Vietnamese students, experts and skilled workers invarious fields; supporting Vietnam in the ratification of agreements with theEU, including the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement just before NAChairman Hue’s visit to Bulgaria in September 2023; in multilateral andbilateral mechanisms; and in Vietnam’s bid for a seat at the UN Human RightsCouncil for the 2023-2025 tenure.
He wished that both sides would further step up foreignpolitical relations, including holding more regular exchanges of parliamentariansto share professional experience as well as locality-to-locality exchangeactivities.
The Vietnamese leader proposed Jeliazkov and theBulgarian NA continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationalsliving and working in the country. Additionally, he urged Bulgaria to back and push forward theEuropean Commission (EC)’s removal of yellow card warning against Vietnam’s seafood products.
He also suggested continued collaboration and sharing of visionson global and regional issues, and urged the Bulgarian NA to support Vietnamand ASEAN's stance on settling disputes through peaceful means in line withinternational law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS); ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight; raising voices and calling on parties concerned to fully andseriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC), negotiate and build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is practical,effective and in accordance with international law.
The host and guest agreed to direct agencies🥂 of both countries toactively step up bilateral cooperation activities, leading up to the 75th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025./.
