Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Văn Giang met with Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on May 19 in Hà Nội. —  Photo from People's Army newspaper

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Văn Giang highlighted potential for defence cooperation between Việt Nam and Croatia while receiving Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Affirming that Việt Nam always values its traditional friendship with countries in the Balkan region, with Croatia regarded as one of its priority partners, Giang spoke highly of bilateral collaboration achievements in politics-diplomacy, economy, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

He reiterated that Việt Nam consistently pursues its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, resilience, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, along with diversification and multilateralisation of external relations. He also reaffirmed Việt Nam's “Four No's” defence policy and expressed the country’s desire to expand bilateral and multilateral defence ties on the basis of equality and mutual respect for shared interests, thereby contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Giang expressed his hope that the European minister will continue supporting cooperation between the two defence ministries, focusing on delegation exchanges, particularly at high levels; the signing of cooperation agreements; collaboration in training, defence industry and United Nations peacekeeping operations; and coordination within the framework of Việt Nam–European Union cooperation.

He added that Việt Nam's Ministry of National Defence stands ready to welcome Croatian defence delegations seeking cooperation opportunities based on the needs and interests of both sides, as well as to receive Croatian military personnel for Vietnamese language studies and international defence officials’ courses at Vietnamese military academies and schools.

On this occasion, Giang also invited Croatian enterprises to participate in the third Việt Nam Defence Expo, scheduled for this December.

For his part, Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said he was pleased and honoured to visit the headquarters of Việt Nam's Ministry of National Defence on the occasion of the 136th birth anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh (May 19, 1890-2026). He affirmed that Việt Nam is an important partner of Croatia in Southeast Asia and expressed Croatia’s desire to expand cooperation with the country in line with the interests and needs of both nations, particularly in the field of defence. — VNA/VNS