Havana (VNA) – Vietnam always respectfully andsincerely thanks the Communist Party, State and people of Cuba for theirsolidarity and support for Vietnam’s struggle for liberation, national unityand reunification, as well as current construction and defence.

Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General To Lammade the remarks during his meeting with First Secretary of the Cuban CommunistParty, President of the Council of State and the President of the Council ofMinisters Raul Castro in Havana on November 28.

Lam expressed his thanks to President Raul Castro for hisleadership in facilitating the Cuban Ministry of the Interior and theVietnamese Ministry of Public Security to work closely and effectively in thefight against crime, ensuring the security and order of each country.

He expressed his pleasure and appreciation at the greatachievements made by the Cuban people in the cause of building and developingthe country.

Lam stressed that cooperation between the police forces ofthe two countries continues to be strengthened and developed across sectors ofsecurity, police, force building, logistics and engineering.

Both sides agreed to assess the results of cooperation inthe past and the direction for the future to ensure national security andmaintenance of social order and safety in each country, contributing topromoting the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between thetwo parties, states and people, Lam said.

President Raul Castro welcomed Lam and his delegation toCuba, saying that the visit would make an important contribution to promotingthe traditional friendship between the two parties, states, peoples and policeforces in the two countries.

The President also sincerely thanked the Party, State,Government and people of Vietnam for their solidarity, loyalty, support andtimely assistance to Cuba.

He appreciated Vietnam’s experience in all areas, especiallyin the fight against crime, keeping security and order.

He suggested that the two sides should continue to promote collaboration,contributing significantly to furthering their traditional friendship.

A day earlier, Minister Lam and his entourage held talkswith a delegation of the Cuban Ministry of Inferior, whose minister had sentthe invitation for its visit to the country.

At the talks, both sides agreed to increase exchanges ofdelegations at different levels. They stressed the necessity of sharing informationand experiences on internal political security, prevention of plots threateningsocial orders, and tourism-related crime amid integration.

They said their joint projects in the coming time wouldfocus on professional skills, fighting against organised crime, hi-tech crime,trans-border crime, terrorism, human trafficking, and commercial and tourismcrime.

They agreed to consider negotiation and signing ofagreements on extradition, transfer of convicts, and mutual legal assistance oncriminal matters.

The sides vowed to support one another at multilateralforums, particularly those on anti-terrorism and anti-illegal immigration. Theyagreed with mutual assistance in signing, joining, and implementinginternational commitments that they are member of.

At the end of the meeting, Minister To Lam and CubanMinister of the Inferior César Gandarilla Bermejo signed a cooperation pactbetween the two ministries.

During its visit, Minister Lam and his entourage paidtribute to late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh at Peace Park in Havana and toCuban national heroes Jose Marti and Fidel Castro at the Santa Ifigeniacemetery in Santiago de Cuba.-VNA