Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung and Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekian Shahin during their talks. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung held talks with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, who is on an official visit to Việt Nam, in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Trung warmly welcomed Shahin to Việt Nam for the first time and affirmed that the visit is of special significance in strengthening solidarity and promoting the traditional friendship between the two countries.

On this occasion, he respectfully thanked Palestinian leaders for their letters of sympathy and sharing with Vietnamese leaders and people for the damage caused by recent natural disasters in Việt Nam.

Informing his guest about Việt Nam's socio-economic development after 80 years of national founding and nearly 40 years of implementing the đổi mới (Renewal) process, Trung emphasised the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, and respect for traditional friendly countries, including Palestine. He said that Việt Nam is promoting institutional reform, groundbreaking development in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, considering these as pillars for the current development process.

Regarding the issue of Palestine, Trung emphasised Việt Nam's stance of supporting the two-state solution, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living peacefully alongside the State of Israel, on the basis of international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations. Việt Nam has always consistently supported the just struggle of the Palestinian people for independence and national self-determination, he said, adding that Việt Nam is ready to participate in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

For her part, Shahin thanked Việt Nam for its valuable support, both material and spiritual, for the just struggle of the Palestinian people.

She emphasised that Việt Nam and Palestine share the same aspiration for national independence and hopes that Việt Nam will continue to support Palestine in the future, contributing to ending the conflict.

Shahin affirmed that the Palestinian leaders and people always pay special attention to Việt Nam, a loyal and devoted friend of Palestine.

The minister also expressed her admiration for Việt Nam's outstanding achievements in socio-economic development, thereby helping to enhance Việt Nam's role and position in the international arena, saying that Palestine is eager to learn from Việt Nam's experience in stabilising the political situation, developing the economy and diversifying foreign relations. She also thanked and appreciated Việt Nam's willingness to participate in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The two ministers discussed and agreed on specific measures to promote cooperation between Việt Nam and Palestine, including increasing high-level delegation exchanges; improve the effectiveness of economic cooperation by creating favourable conditions for the business communities of the two countries to seek investment and business cooperation opportunities, and expand cooperation in education and training, and people-to-people exchanges.

On this occasion, Trung and Shahin signed a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic passport holders of each country. — VNA/VNS