(VOVworld) - European Commission Vice President and Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton will pay an official visit to Vietnam next week, aiming to foster close relations between the EU and Vietnam. This is the first Vietnam visit by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy since the Treaty of Lisbon came into effect in 2009. During her visit to Hanoi, Catherine Ashton is scheduled to meet with senior Vietnamese leaders to review cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in recent times and discuss measures to bolster relations in the near future. They will examine ways to increase cooperation at international and multilateral forums such as ASEAN-EU, ASEM, and the UN. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.