Minister of Public Security General Tô Lâm meets with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio. – VNA/VNS Photo

ROME – Minister of Public Security General Tô Lâm held separate talks with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, as part of the Vietnamese official’s visit to the country from July 17-19.

During the talks with the host Interior Minister, the officials highlighted the results of cooperation between the two ministries, with the signing of an agreement on collaboration in crime combat in 2014.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security has sent many officials to Italy to join training courses on crime combat held by the Interior Ministry, and others on peacekeeping financed by the Italian government.

Lâm noted with pleasure the positive, comprehensive developments of the relations between Viet Nam and Italy over the past 50 years, saying through high-ranking delegation exchanges and cooperation mechanisms, the two countries have enhanced substantive, effective cooperation in politics, diplomacy, economy, national defence and security, science-technology, culture and education, and connectivity between their localities.

During talks with the Justice Minister, Lâm spoke highly of the Italian government’s inclusion of Viet Nam into the list of 20 priority countries in trade and investment cooperation this year, as well as its issuance of a new strategy to boost development collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), creating favourable conditions for the two countries to elevate their relations to a new height.

Việt Nam stands ready to serve as a bridge between Italy and ASEAN, help Italy participate in cooperation mechanisms in Asia-Pacific, and support the country in multilateral forums, he said.

Along with the 2014 agreement, two others on extradition and the transfer of sentenced persons signed on this occasion are significant to the bilateral cooperation in crime prevention and control, the minister noted.

Nordio, for his part, suggested the two sides soon complete their own procedures to put the new legal documents in place, increase high-ranking delegation exchanges, and share information and experience in crime combat, especially organised, transnational, high-tech, drug and economic crimes, and human smugglers. — VNS