(VOVworld) - Vietnam highly values its ties with the US and is willing to enhance their multifaceted cooperation further, said Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh at a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington on Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister Minh, who is on a 2-day official visit to the US, asked the US to be flexible in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement negotiations with Vietnam, provide technical assistance to Vietnam during the negotiation and implementation of the TPP agreement, and recognize Vietnam’s market economy soon. He also proposed increased cooperation in science and technology, education and training, and war legacy settlement.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US appreciates Vietnam’s role in Southeast Asia and wants to continue collaboration with Vietnam in all spheres. The US will consider Vietnam’s proposals and support the settlement of war consequences, including Agent Orange/dioxin and unexploded ordnance, he said. Kerry added that the US will push forward the establishment of a Fulbright University in Vietnam and continue dialogues to enhance mutual understanding on existing differences between the two countries. The two sides discussed other regional matters, including the East Sea situation, agreeing that all parties needed to comply with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, avoid actions that could escalate disputes and cause instability in the region, and settle disputes peacefully in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In a separate meeting, Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh and US National Security Advisor Susan Rice discussed measures to reinforce bilateral relations.

Minh and US Trade Representative Michael Froman met the same day, and agreed to foster economic-trade relations and work harder to quickly conclude the TPP agreement negotiations.

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh attended a ceremony on Wednesday to announce a new report titled “A New Era in US-Vietnam Relations: Deepening Ties Two Decades after Normalization” at Washington’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

He also met with the Vietnamese Embassy’s staff in Washington and representatives of overseas Vietnamese living and studying in the US.