Hanoi, July 15 (VNA) – Vietnam and Sri Lanka should intensify and expand scopes of cooperation into new areas of aviation, tourism and irrigation apart from their existing close links in national defence and security, trade and investment, in a bid to deepen the traditional friendship.
The visiting Speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, Chamal Rajapaksa, made the suggestion during talks with the host President Truong Tan Sang in Hanoi on July 15.
The guest noted the fruitful results in bilateral cooperation since diplomatic ties were established in 1970. He expressed his gratitude for Vietnam’s support to his country in the areas of human rights and territorial sovereignty.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa thanked Vietnam for its support to his country in national construction and reconstruction. He also spoke highly of the state visit paid by President Truong Tan Sang to Sri Lanka in 2011, which helped build a stronger bond between the two countries.
For his part, President Sang expressed his delight at significant achievements Sri Lanka has reaped in socio-economic development. He said he hopes Sri Lanka and its people will become increasingly prosperous.
Reminding the guest of the similarities shared between the two countries in the past struggle for national independence as well as the present process of national construction and development, the Vietnamese state leader recalled the fact that President Ho Chi Minh paid three visits to Sri Lanka.
Historical sites that recorded the activities of President Ho Chi Minh and have been preserved and upgraded in Sri Lanka are vivid illustrations of solidarity and friendship between the two peoples, he added.
President Sang stressed that Vietnam and Sri Lanka have coordinated and backed each other in regional and international forums.
Noting improvements in two-way trade, which has hovered at one billion USD in recent years, but still behind the untapped potential of both sides, the President recommended the two countries intensify exchanges of all-level delegations and contents of cooperation as well as beef up the implementation of signed deals.
Vietnam News Agency
