As 2010 ASEAN Chair, Vietnam is ready to act as a bridge to Finland's cooperation with Southeast Asia, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet. At 4 pm (Hanoi time) on May 22, State President Nguyen Minh Triet left Helsinki for Hanoi, successfully concluding his State visit to Finland. Prior to his departure, Mr Triet met with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. At the meeting, President Triet expressed his delight at visiting Finland and thanked the Finnish Government and people for their support in Vietnam's past struggle for national liberation and its current process of national construction. Revealing the outcome of his talks with Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Mr Triet said that Vietnam will implement the agreements reached and work hand in hand with Finland to raise two-way trade turnover and Finland's investment in Vietnam to US$1 billion, each in the next few years. Vietnam pledges to create the best possible conditions for Finnish businesses to invest in … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Finland vow to promote cooperative relations
Cooperation
SCO member states vow to strengthen economic cooperation
Prime ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members on Monday pledged to further promote economic cooperation. Amid increasing uncertainties in global markets, the SCO member states should further strengthen economic cooperation in a bid to minimize negative effects of the global crisis on their countries' banking and financial sectors, the leaders said in a joint declaration. The SCO prime ministers also stressed the importance of cooperation with SCO observers and dialogue partners and with international organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The SCO would continue encouraging investment and advancing mutually beneficial projects among member states in line with laws of these states. Thus, it is of great significance to establish a financing mechanism for joint projects, including special accounts and … [Read more...] about SCO member states vow to strengthen economic cooperation
US, Russia vow to expand defense cooperation
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Russian counterpart, Anatoly Serdyukov, have vowed to expand military cooperation signaling an improvement in relations between the former Cold War foes. In the first visit to the Pentagon by a Russian defense minister in five years, Serdyukov was greeted by a military band and color guard before heading into talks here at the Pentagon with Gates and other U.S. officials. After several hours of meetings, the Russian defense minister and the U.S. defense secretary signed two documents on defense cooperation, including a memorandum that Gates said replaces an outdated 1993 accord. "It underscores that defense cooperation is an important element of strengthening the wider U.S. - Russian relationship, especially now when our two countries confront many similar security threats and challenges," said Robert Gates. In addition to efforts to streamline their respective militaries, the Russian defense minister said discussions included … [Read more...] about US, Russia vow to expand defense cooperation
Vietnamese, Cuban businesses boost cooperation
A conference on trade, investment and exchange among businesses was held under the framework of the 29th Havana International Fair (FIHAV) in Cuba on November 4. The event, organized by the Thai Binh Investment Trading Corporation in co-ordination with the Vietnamese embassy in Cuba, aiming to introduce the trade potential and promote economic and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba. Speaking at the conference, Vietnamese ambassador to Cuba Vu Chi Cong said that, despite the US embargo against Cuba and the geological distance between the two countries, Vietnam has maintained and a multifaceted relationship with the country, making it Cuba's second biggest trade partner in Asia. Ambassador Cong said the conference offered an opportunity for businesses in both countries to devise measures and action plans to strengthen bilateral relations. Raisa Costa Blanco, Director of the Centre for Promoting Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment (CEPEC), said in order to effectively … [Read more...] about Vietnamese, Cuban businesses boost cooperation
General underscores defence cooperation with Russia
Defence cooperation would contribute to further reinforcing the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, said Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh at a meeting with the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in Hanoi on October 12. General Thanh hailed General Nikolai Makarov, who is also Russia's first Deputy Defence Minister, for his presence at the first ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and his contributions to the success of the meeting. He expressed thanks for the valuable assistance that the former Soviet Union and the current Russian Federation have offered to the Vietnamese army and people in the past years. General Thanh also wished that after the first ADMM+ in Hanoi, the Russian Defence Ministry and other countries would make further contributions to make ADMM+ a really highest defence cooperation mechanism between ASEAN Defence Ministers and eight dialogue partners, strengthening peace, stability and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific … [Read more...] about General underscores defence cooperation with Russia