Israeli President Reuven Rivlin meets with Việt Nam’s Deputy Defence Minister Nguyễn Chí Vịnh (L) in Jerusalem on Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Việt Thắng-Đình Viễn

TEL AVIV — Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and top Israeli government figures met this week with Việt Nam’s Deputy Defence Minister Nguyễn Chí Vịnh, affirming their country’s support of defence ties with Việt Nam.

Both sides agreed that increasingly effective defence co-operation will help deepen their relations, meeting their peoples’ interests and actively contributing to efforts towards peace, stability, co-operation and development.

At the meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Rivlin described the delegation’s visit to Israel as a demonstration of the growing co-operation, including in defence, between the two countries. He expressed his admiration for Việt Nam and its late President Hồ Chí Minh, as well as for the country’s achievements.

Reflecting its policy of multilateralising and diversifying foreign relations, Việt Nam attaches importance to bolstering friendship and co-operation with Middle Eastern nations, including Israel, said Lieutenent General Vịnh. He also informed his host about the defence links, thanking Israeli leaders in general and Rivlin in particular for providing favourable conditions for the two defence ministries’ fruitful co-operation.

He expressed hope for the President’s continued support for building up a reliable partnership. Rivlin is scheduled to visit Việt Nam in March.

Deputy Minister Vịnh also had talks with the Director General of the Israeli Defence Ministry, Udi Adam. They exchanged views on international and regional issues of shared concern while voicing their delight at the expansion of bilateral friendship and co-operation in various spheres, including defence.

On the basis of the sound relationship, Việt Nam wants to discuss measures for enhancing defence connections in conformity with the memorandum of understanding on bilateral defence relations inked in 2015, Vịnh noted.

For his part, Adam described the Vietnamese officials’ visit as important to defence co-operation activities in 2017. He spoke highly of the Southeast Asian nation’s role and stature in the region, adding that Israel wants to join Việt Nam in building a trustworthy, effective and sustainable partnership.

Concluding the talks, the two sides signed minutes of the Vietnamese delegation’s visit and another on building a consultation mechanism for the two ministries’ working groups.

During the trip, Vietnamese officials had meetings with Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Acting National Security Advisor Jacob Nagel. They also visited some units and businesses in the local defence industry. — VNS