Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh and Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics discussed measures to promote relations between Việt Nam and Latvia during their talks in Hà Nội on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh and Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs discussed measures to promote relations between Việt Nam and Latvia during their talks in Hà Nội on Wednesday. 
They agreed to enhance the exchange of all-level delegations in order to seek opportunities to expand co-operation across spheres, especially economy, trade and investment. 
The officials agreed to facilitate the export of Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products, garments-textiles, footwear, handicrafts and wooden products to Latvia and other Baltic countries, as well as Latvian food and wood processing technologies, equipment and machines to Việt Nam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 
They also compared notes on orientations to step up bilateral collaboration in areas such as education-training, labour, tourism and transportation. 
Host and guest spoke highly of the effective cooperation between Viet Nam and Latvia at multilateral forums, and agreed to tighten coordination within the frameworks of the United Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting and international forums. 
Minh highly valued Rinkēvičs’ visit, the first trip to Việt Nam by a Latvian Foreign Minister since 1996, and expressed his hope that it will contribute to creating momentum to advance the bilateral friendship and multifaceted co-operation. 
He used the occasion to thank Latvia for its support for the signing of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement. 
Rinkēvičs said that Latvia backs the agreements and will work to push ahead with the ratification and implementation of these deals, contributing to bringing practical benefits to bilateral economic, trade and investment ties. 
Minh also lauded the signing of the agreement on educational co-operation between the two countries and the organisation of the Việt Nam-Latvia business conference during the visit. 
The official thanked Latvia for its support for Việt Nam’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2020-21, and called for more backing and coordination from the country during the post. 
While exchanging views on regional and international issues of shared concern, the two sides stressed the significance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation. 
Latvia affirmed its support for the settlement of East Sea disputes by peaceful measures, without using force or threatening to use force, and on the basis of respect for international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

Meeting with top legislator

Receiving Rinkēvičs in Hà Nội on the same day, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân suggested the Vietnamese and Latvian legislatures increase the exchange of all-level delegations.
The Vietnamese NA will continue its close coordination with the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) at regional and international parliamentary forums to which both are members like the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), while maintaining meetings on the sidelines of multilateral forums and discussions on regional and international issues of shared concern, Ngân said. 
The top legislator said the Việt Nam-Latvia business conference and trade and investment promotion activities held during the visit have created cooperation and business opportunities for enterprises of the two countries. 
Ngân appealed to the Latvian Government to create more favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to stabilise their lives and run businesses in the country. 
Rinkēvičs suggested the Vietnamese and Latvian legislatures step up their partnership and soon establish a friendly parliamentarians’ group in each country. 
The minister told his host that Việt Nam and Latvia are considering the signing of an agreement on labour cooperation, and expressed his hope for stronger bilateral trade and investment ties. 
Lativa will make all-out efforts to urge the European Parliament to soon ratify the EVFTA and the Latvian Parliament to pass the EVIPA, he said. — VNS