(VOVworld) – Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Thursday concluded his two-day official visit to Belarus at the invitation of President Alexander Lukashenko. The two sides released a joint statement on strengthening their friendly relationship and comprehensive cooperation. Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong held talks with President A. Lukashenko, laid a wreath at the Victory Monument, the National War and Resistance Museum, and received former war veterans in Vietnam and the Belarus-Vietnam Friendship Association.


Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (R) welcomes Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)

During talks, the two sides agreed to enhance the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation, increase political dialogues at all levels on bilateral and international issues, and exchange delegates of the two parliaments, government, localities, and organizations. They pledged to fine tune the legal basis for bilateral cooperation and provide favorable conditions for cooperation in trade, investment, machinery, agriculture, IT, and mining.

The two sides agreed to improve the role of the Vietnam-Belarus Inter-governmental Committee on economic, trade, science, and technology, assist their businesses to penetrate the other’s market, and boost the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan for the signing on early 2015 as scheduled.

Leaders of both countries pledged to cooperate and support each other at international forums for peace, security, prosperity, and development in line with international law and the UN Charter. They acknowledged the central role of the UN in ensuring international peace, security, and sustainable development.

Belarus supports to resolve territorial disputes, including disputes in the East Sea, by peaceful measures, not use or threat to use forces, and to soon obtain the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) based on international law including the UNCLOS and the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.