(VOVworld)- Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga and her Uruguay counterpart Luis Porto have held the first political consultation between the two countries during Porto’s October 3-5 visit to Hanoi . They acknowledged the positive development in Vietnam-Uruguay relations, especially following reciprocal visits by the two countries’ senior leaders.

Porto said the government and people of Uruguay consider Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia and are willing to increase bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual strength. Deputy Minister Nga voiced Vietnam ’s resolve to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation with Uruguay and proposed both sides increase high-level visits and businesses exchanges. She called for Uruguay ’s early recognition of Vietnam ’s full market economy status. They agreed to speed up negotiations and sign a trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA), establish a Vietnam-Uruguay Joint Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation, and finalise legal frameworks to facilitate bilateral economics, trade, and investment cooperation. Both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, and agreed to strengthen coordination at multilateral for mutual peace, stability and development.