Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (right) and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith had talks in New York on September 20. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn has met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Solomon Islands Jeremiah Manele, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Uganda Henry Oryem Okello, and Vice President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations Maros Sefcovic in New York on September 20 (US time).

The meetings took place on the occasion of their attendance in the high-level general debate of the United Nations General Assembly.

Talking to Kommasith, Sơn applauded the sound development of the two countries’ relations, especially high-level mutual visits and meetings, and the promotion of key cooperation projects in the recent past.

The Lao official spoke highly of the success of the delegation exchanges between the countries’ Party and State leaders, especially the meeting among the leaders of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, and the Cambodian People’s Party in Hà Nội on September 6.

The two sides agreed to coordinate closely to prepare for high-level activities between the Vietnamese and Lao Parties and Governments, coming events of inter-sectoral cooperation mechanisms, and some cooperation projects. The countries will also keep close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums.

Minister Sơn affirmed Việt Nam's support for and efforts to help Laos fulfill its chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2024.

At the meeting with Manele, Sơn stressed that Việt Nam always attaches importance to developing cooperation with Pacific island countries, particularly the Solomon Islands.

Both sides agreed to consider the establishment of cooperation mechanisms; sign documents and agreements in the areas the countries are strong at such as trade - investment, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, and climate change response to serve as stepping stones for cooperation; and enhance collaboration and mutual support at multilateral forums.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (right) and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Uganda Henry Oryem Okello. — VNA/VNS Photo

Receiving Okello, Sơn highly valued the visit to Việt Nam by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni last November, and asked the two countries to press on with implementing the trip’s outcomes to substantively develop multifaceted cooperation.

Okello emphasised that his country admires Việt Nam's socio-economic development achievements and wishes the two sides will boost discussion to expand ties in agriculture and telecommunications infrastructure.

The two officials agreed that their countries will strengthen cooperation and mutual support at multilateral forums, including the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Group of 77 (G77).

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (right) had talks with Vice President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations Maros Sefcovic in New York. — VNA/VNS Photo

Meeting with Sefcovic, Sơn noted with satisfaction the increasingly extensive and substantive strides in the Việt Nam-EU relations, and affirmed that the EU is one of the leading partners of Việt Nam, calling on both sides to maintain and bring into play cooperation and dialogue mechanisms.

The Vietnamese minister also appealed to the European Council to raise its voice to persuade the EU to soon remove the “yellow card” warning over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for fishery exports of the Southeast Asian nation.

Sefcovic said he attaches importance to the EU-Việt Nam cooperation and also shared the view on Son’s proposals.

Both officials also touched upon measures for realising climate change response commitments and the Political Declaration on establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) between Việt Nam and the G7 countries.

At the meetings, Minister Sơn affirmed Việt Nam and ASEAN’s common stance on peacefully settling disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and guaranteeing the safety and security of navigation and overflight in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea). — VNS