Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Phạm Thị Thu Hương. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Greece hold great potential and ample room to further develop their relations, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Phạm Thị Thu Hương.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in South Europe on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties (April 15, 1975-2025), Hương affirmed that over the past five decades, the traditional friendship between the two countries has been enhanced and developed positively.

The two countries have successfully coordinated in organising high-level visits and delegation exchanges across various sectors, notably the official visit to Việt Nam by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou in May 2022, and the official visit to Greece by Vice State President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân in November 2021.

The two countries have maintained bilateral cooperation in various fields such as education and training, healthcare, economy and trade, sports, culture, archaeology, labour, and maritime affairs, with various agreements signed so far.

They are continuing negotiations to sign a bilateral Maritime Transport Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual recognition of seafarer certificates under the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), an MoU on cooperation in migration and labour mobility, and an agreement on double taxation avoidance.

Việt Nam and Greece have also cooperated effectively and supported each other at multilateral and international forums, while both promoting multilateralism, upholding international law, contributing to peace, stability, and navigation and aviation safety and security, and supporting the peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, Hương stated.

Regarding trade and investment collaboration, the diplomat said two-way trade surpasses US$500 million annually, and that Greece is running six investment projects in Việt Nam.

To deepen the traditional friendship, Ambassador Hương emphasised the need for the two countries to step up all-level delegation exchanges, foster mutually beneficial economic relations, encourage their business communities to increase contacts, and exchange experiences, particularly in sectors where they have strengths and needs, such as maritime, fisheries, food processing, tourism, and labour cooperation.

Both sides should work closely to make the most of opportunities brought about by the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and push forward negotiations on the above-mentioned agreements, she said, highlighting the importance of further strengthening bilateral collaboration in other areas such as defence, security, culture, education, sports, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

Both countries should continue to work closely and support each other at international and regional forums, particularly in addressing non-traditional challenges like pandemics and climate change within the frameworks of the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and ASEAN-EU cooperation.

Regarding the embassy's activities in celebration of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, the ambassador stated that it has been organising a wide range of events across various fields, from economy and culture to local collaboration. — VNS