Danish foreign affairs minister's visit strengthens green growth ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung welcomes Denmark’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Villy Sovndal on his official visit to Viet Nam. - VNA/VNS Photo Duc Tam

HA NOI (VNS)- Denmark is willing to continue cooperating with Viet Nam in green growth by sharing its experience with climate change, environmental protection and green energy, said Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Villy Sovndal.

Sovndal made the statement at separate talks with Vietnamese government leaders and other high-ranking officials during his visit to Viet Nam this week. The visit comes at a time when Viet Nam and Denmark are enjoying vigorous development in bilateral cooperation.

During a meeting yesterday with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, the guest affirmed that his country would make every effort to implement the signed agreements and facilitate bilateral cooperation in new areas.

PM Dung said Viet Nam wished to further intensify cooperation with Denmark in all fields, especially in economics, trade, investment, Official Development Assistance (ODA), education-training and green growth.

Dung expressed his hope that Denmark would continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese expatriate community in the country.

In bilateral talks with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh the same day, the Danish minister spoke highly of Viet Nam’s socio-economic achievements, as well as its increasingly prestigious role in the regional and international arena. He said that Denmark always attached importance to fostering friendship and ties with Viet Nam.

Denmark is actively helping Viet Nam carry out its 2012-2020 Green Growth Strategy, which in turn will pave the way for Danish firms to invest in seaport construction, ship building and food processing, he added.

The Danish FM affirmed that his side would support Viet Nam in strengthening comprehensive cooperation with the EU, accelerating the approval of the Viet Nam-EU Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) and negotiating the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement.

On the East Sea issue, Sovndal said that his country supports Viet Nam’s stance on settling disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law.

Minh expressed his gratitude to the Danish Government and people for their ODA in the past years, adding that the assistance had been effectively used to make significant contributions to the socio-economic development of Vietnam and its international integration. - VNS