National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ (right) met with President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou in Montevideo on April 27 (local time) within the framework of his official visit to the country. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

MONTEVIDEO — Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has told Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ that he hoped Uruguay and Việt Nam will continue to increase the exchange of high-level delegations and delegations between ministries and sectors, and expand people-to-people exchanges to further deepen bilateral relations.

At a meeting with the top Vietnamese legislator in Montevideo on April 27 (local time), President Lacalle Pou spoke highly of Việt Nam's determination to enhance the bilateral relationship through the organisation of the ongoing visit with the participation of high-ranking leaders of the Party, State, Government, and important political organisations to Uruguay, as well as the practical and effective working schedule.

He highlighted the significance of NA Chairman’s Hue official visit to Uruguay when the two nations are celebrating the 30th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties (August 11, 1993-2023), stressing that Việt Nam's achievements during its national construction and development process have contributed to improving Việt Nam's position in the region and on the international arena.

The President affirmed that Uruguay supports multilateralism and is willing to expand relations with partners outside the region in order to diversify economic, trade, and investment relations.

Uruguay is ready to serve as a gateway for Việt Nam and ASEAN to access the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR - including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay), facilitating business and investment activities of enterprises of both sides, he said.

President Lacalle Pou expressed his hope that Việt Nam will open its embassy in Montevideo soon and support Uruguay to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the candidacy of Uruguay and the three MERCOSUR member nations to co-host World Cup in 2030.

NA Chairman Huệ said that Việt Nam always attaches importance to its friendly relationship and cooperation with Uruguay, and appreciates the solidarity and support of the Uruguayan people for Việt Nam during the struggle for national independence and liberation in the past, and the process of national construction and development at present.

The top legislator congratulated the Uruguayan government on its important achievements, especially in economic development, social stability and COVID-19 control, saying that these have contributed to improving the role and position of Uruguay in the region and the world.

He suggested Uruguay continues to support and promote the early completion of the internal consultation process among the MERCOSUR members so as to start negotiations on the Việt Nam-MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement, towards further expanding the bilateral trade to be commensurate with the good political relations between the two countries.

Chairman Huệ used the occasion to convey regards from leaders of the Vietnamese Party, State and Government to President Lacalle Pou, and President Võ Văn Thưởng's invitation to the Uruguayan President to visit Việt Nam in the future.

The two leaders said they are pleased to see that the Việt Nam-Uruguay relationship has continued to develop fruitfully with cooperation mechanisms being maintained effectively.

The two countries have maintained close coordination and exchanges at important international forums and multilateral organisations around the world, especially the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organisation, and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), they noted.

They agreed to jointly protect the principles and values of multilateralism amid complicated and unpredictable developments in the world, consequences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical and armed conflicts in some regions of the world.

The same day, NA Chairman Huệ met Uruguayan Acting Foreign Minister Nicolás Albertoni.

Within the framework of his trip, the top Vietnamese legislator witnessed the signing of the minutes of the third meeting of the Vietnam - Uruguay Joint Committee for Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation, which was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Đỗ Thắng Hải and Nicolás Albertoni on April 14. — VNS