President Trần Đại Quang (L) receives Cuban Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera in Hà Nội yesterday. – VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI – President Trần Đại Quang hosted separate receptions yesterday for the ambassadors of Israel, Bangladesh, Finland, Austria and Cuba, after the diplomats presented their credentials and officially assumed their positions in Việt Nam. 

Welcoming Israeli Ambassador Nadav Eshcar, President Quang expressed his delight over the sound development of co-operative ties between the two countries, as demonstrated by President Reuven Ruvi Rivlin’s State visit to Việt Nam in March, Israel’s recognition of Việt Nam’s full market economy and the ongoing negotiations towards a bilateral free trade agreement. 
The two countries had also expanded co-operation in trade, high-tech agriculture, the security-defence industry and education and training, President Quang stressed. 
The Vietnamese leader suggested that both sides strive to finalize and sign the bilateral FTA in 2018 and implement measures to increase two-way trade to US$3 billion in the coming years. 
The Israeli diplomat highlighted that agreements signed between the two countries had created a framework to bolster bilateral ties, and that Việt Nam was an important partner.
Receiving Bangladeshi Ambassador Samina Naz, Quang affirmed that Việt Nam cherished its traditional friendship and cooperative ties with the South Asian country. 
As the bilateral trade had become more robust, reaching $609 million in 2016, the President said he hoped that Bangladesh would import more Vietnamese farm produce, aquatic products and consumer goods while creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in infrastructure, power and telecommunications in Bangladesh. 
He said he hoped that Bangladesh would support Việt Nam’s bid for non-permanent membership on the United Nations’ Security Council for 2020-21 tenure and the Vietnamese candidate for UNESCO General Director Chair in 2017-21 tenure. 
Samina Naz pledged to do her utmost to enhance relations between the two countries, particularly economic-trade relations. 
In conversations with Finnish Ambassador Kari Kahiluoto and Austrian Ambassador Thomas Schuller Gotzburg, President Quang called on the two countries to push for the early signing and approval of the Việt Nam - EU Free Trade Agreement to open up new business opportunities for enterprises from each nation. 

Both the Finnish and Austrian ambassadors affirmed that their countries wanted to boost co-operation with Việt Nam across fields.
In another reception for Cuban Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera, President Quang stressed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam treasured solidarity and comprehensive co-operation with Cuba. He said that Vietnamese agencies would co-operate to create favourable conditions for the Cuban diplomat to fulfill his mission in the host country. 
The Cuban ambassador underscored that Cuba and Việt Nam had enjoyed rosy relations in the past years, especially politics. Cuba wanted to further collaboration with Việt Nam in various sectors, she added. — VNS