HÀ NỘI — President Trần Đại Quang welcomed his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, at the Presidential Palace in Ha Noi yesterday, saying the visit reflects Israel’s desire to deepen the friendship and co-operation with Việt Nam.

Việt Nam hopes for the establishment of a Palestinian state co-existing peacefully alongside the State of Israel, he said.

Việt Nam, he said, supports every effort made by the region, the world and the parties concerned to achieve comprehensive, fair, and sustainable solutions, based on international law and UN resolutions, leading to establishing "an independent and sovereign Palestinian State which peacefully co-exists with the State of Israel." 

He reiterated Việt Nam’s unswerving external policy of being a friend and a reliable partner of other countries and striving for peace, independence and development. Việt Nam highly values the development of friendship and co-operation with the Middle East countries, including Israel, and wishes to carry forward the effective and stable Việt Nam-Israel ties for the benefit of the two peoples, and for the sake of peace and friendship in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the world, he added.

President Rivlin, for his part, said this was his first visit to the country, whose people he admires for their determination to defend national independence and for their peace-loving spirit. 
Expressing pleasure with the progress of the co-ordination in trade, agriculture, science-technology and training, the two leaders set economic ties as a focus and science-technology as a priority pillar in the countries’ future co-operation. 
The two leaders agreed to increase two-way trade to US$3 billion in the coming years by accelerating negotiations and the signing of the Việt Nam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), facilitating trade ties between businesses and localities, and boosting investment in hghi-tech agriculture, human resources training, information technology, electronics, communications, and water treatment. 
The Israeli leader committed to assisting Việt Nam in treating and cleaning up soil contaminated with  Agent Orange, the deadly defoliant used by American troops in Việt Nam.
Host and guest also discussed ideas to push forward connections in the field of national defence and security, culture, education and tourism. 
They agreed to increase the exchange of visits and direct collaboration between ministries, agencies and localities. On regional and global issues of shared concern, the Presidents underscored the important role of co-operation in maintaining peace and stability in the world. 
The Vietnamese side reaffirmed its policy of settling disputes, including the East Sea dispute, by peaceful means and with full respect to diplomatic and legal processes in line with the basic principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 
After concluding their talks, the leaders met with reporters. 
President Quang said both sides lauded the signing of a co-operation agreement on technological innovation, research and development, which will support businesses in the field. 
The host welcomed representatives of nearly 30 Israeli firms accompanying Rivlin on his visits to Hà Nội and HCM City, and hoped that a number of partnerships will be reached. 
The Israeli leader, for his part, stated that his visit will lay a foundation for new partnerships to improve the living conditions of the two countries’ people, especially in high-tech agriculture, hi-tech water treatment and purification, education, health care, cyber security, and national defence and security. — VNS