Vietnamese, Venezuelan leaders decide to deepen trade relations   President Truong Tan Sang and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros review a guard of honour during Moros's working visit to Viet Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat HA NOI  — State President Truong Tan Sang reiterated Viet Nam's desire to deepen ties with Venezuela to benefit both countries during talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Moros in Ha Noi yesterday. Viet Nam backed Venezuela's constitutional government led by President Moros, said the host, adding that he believed Venezuelans would overcome challenges and reap success moving forward. President Moros said he hoped to learn about Viet Nam's development and said that Venezuela considered Viet Nam an important partner and was eager to further bilateral ties. Both leaders agreed to improve the efficiency of bilateral co-operation, which includes the Inter-Governmental Committee for economic-trade and scientific-technological co-operation and political consultations between the two foreign ministries. Ministries and agencies will be directed to fine-tune legal frameworks through negotiating and signing deals, while facilitating business operations across energy, oil and gas, agriculture and fisheries. Both host and guest welcomed the signing of an agreement on agriculture projects for 2015-2018 during the visit, laying a legal framework to launch three projects on food production, aquaculture and animal breeding in Venezuela. They also confirmed their support for joint work across the manufacturing and processing industry, infrastructure and social housing, construction materials and electrical appliances. The Venezuelan side pledged its continued assistance to an oil-and-gas venture between the two national oil and gas groups in the country. With trade between the two nations below US$100 million per year, ministries and agencies will aim to to lift the figure to $1-2 billion or above in the next three years. Venezuela is ready to link Viet Nam with 19 Caribbean countries, home to an 80-million population and members of the PetroCaribe – an oil alliance of Caribbean states with Venezuela, the guest said. They also promised to foster national defence collaboration by sharing experience and training, as well as giving a nod to the enhanced relationship between the two Parties, legislatures and socio-political organisations. They expressed their satisfaction with the current mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and South-South co-operation mechanism. President Moros informed his host that Venezuela backs Viet Nam's bid for a seat at the UN Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 tenure. The Vietnamese leader, in return, promised a close partnership with Venezuela and other member states to successfully host the NAM Summit slated for the first half of 2016 in Venezuela. The two sides shared the view that sovereignty and territorial disputes should be settled by peaceful means and in accordance with international laws, particularly the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Meeting with other leaders At a meeting with the Venezuelan President the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged both countries to increase information exchange, accelerate the implementation of signed agreements, and improve the legal framework for bilateral cooperation. Prime Minister Dung expected both countries to support each other at regional and global forums, particularly at the UN. President Moros expressed his wish for further co-operation with Viet Nam in all sectors. Both leaders shared a view to resolve East Sea disputes by peaceful measures based on international law for peace, security and safety of navigation in the East Sea. President Moros also met with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong the same day, where the latter said he believed Maduro's visit was of significant importance to the two sides' relationships. — VNS