Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyễn Chí Vịnh poses for a photo with 28 EU Chiefs of Defence and other guests at the European Union Military Committee at the level of EU Chiefs of Defence on November 21. — VNA/VNS Photo Kim Chung

BRUSSELS – Measures to boost security – defence co-operation between Việt Nam and the European Union (EU) were discussed at their first ever security – defence dialogue held from November 19-24 in Brussels, Belgium.

At the event, both sides spoke highly of the co-operative ties in the field, saying that the establishment of the security-defence dialogue for the first time contributes to promoting mutual understanding and furthering practical and effective co-operation.

They reviewed regional and international issues of mutual interest, talked over ways to carry out the EU-Việt Nam Framework Participation Agreement (FPA) inked in October, as well as highlighted Việt Nam’s prospects to engage in the EU’s crisis management activities.

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyễn Chí Vịnh, who co-chaired the dialogue, recommended Việt Nam and the EU exchange and share experience in various areas, while hailing the EU’s support for the training centre of the Việt Nam’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

He took the occasion to invite the EU and its member states to attend the conference on the roles of women in the UN’s peacekeeping mission that will be jointly held by Việt Nam and the UN in 2020 when the Southeast Asian country becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The EU reaffirmed its stance of supporting freedom, security and safety of aviation and navigation in the East Sea, as well as appreciated Việt Nam’s role in the Asia-Pacific for regional and global peace and stability.

Earlier, Vịnh attended a meeting of the European Union Military Committee at the level of EU Chiefs of Defence on November 21, underlining Việt Nam’s interest in the EU’s training and education missions in African nations. 

He laid stress on Việt Nam’s willingness to co-operate with the EU as a responsible partner of the bloc based on the comprehensive partnership and cooperation between the two sides, particularly after they inked the FPA.

Within the framework of the meeting, the Vietnamese representative, 28 EU Chiefs of Defence, and other guests discussed issues related to EU Training Missions in Mali, Somali and Central Africa, with focus on impacts of climate change on training and education missions and women’s role in training missions and measures to improve operation efficiency.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Vịnh had bilateral working sessions with Chairman of the EU Military Committee General Claudio Graziano, UK Chief of the Defence Staff General Nicholas Carter, Deputy Secretary General for Common Security and Defence Policy and Crisis Response at the European External Action Service (EEAS) Pedro Serano, and defence representatives from the UK, Germany, France and the Republic of Korea to discuss measures to promote co-operation.

During his stay in Brussels, Vịnh attended and delivered a speech at the conference on enhancing defence co-operation between Việt Nam and EU jointly held by the EEAS, the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Vietnamese delegation to the EU, and the European Institute for Asian Studies. — VNS