(VOVworld) – Vietnam treasures its traditional friendship with Sri Lanka and hopes to strengthen the cooperation for mutual benefit. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made this remark today while receiving visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris who is in Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. PM Dung urged Vietnam and Sri Lanka to make greater efforts in to actualize the deals agreed by the two countries’ leaders, enhance bilateral cooperation in politics, security, national defense, economics, trade, investment, petroleum, culture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, and strive to boost their trade turnover to 1 billion USD. Dung encouraged Sri Lanka to strengthen its ties with ASEAN members and support stability, peace, and free maritime transport in the East Sea and peaceful settlement of disputes with respect for international law.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung receivedvisiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris in Hanoi. (Photo: internet)

Peiris said that as one of the founders of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Sri Lanka backs the principles of maritime security and freedom, and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law. Peiris pledged Sri Lanka to closely cooperate with Vietnam at regional and global forums, and to support Vietnam’s candidacy for membership in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term. The Sri Lankan leader said he hoped to boost ties with Vietnam in petroleum, agriculture, and tourism, and urged the Vietnamese government to create favorable conditions for the two countries’ enterprises to foster economic investment and cooperation, which will help tighten the traditional friendship.