Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh meets Greece’s parliamentary leaders Athens - Parliamentary leaders of Greece voiced their support for the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) while meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Athens on July 2. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (L) meets with Greece's Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis on July 2 (Photo: VNA) Deputy PM Minh, who was on an official visit to the European nation on July 1 and 2, had a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nikos Voutsis and Deputy Speaker Georgios Varemenos, who also chairs the Greece-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group. The two sides said Vietnam and Greece share many similarities in national development in history, and the close friendship over the last 43 years is the solid prerequisite for the countries to solidify multi-faceted cooperation in the time ahead. The officials also highly valued bilateral parliamentary ties which have contributed to the friendship and cooperation. Deputy PM Minh said economic and trade partnerships remain modest compared to the nations’ political relationship and potential. He asked the Greek Parliament to continue supporting the signing and ratification of the EVFTA, thereby creating optimal conditions for Vietnam’s economic-trade links with the EU and Greece.  Speaker Nikos Voutsis affirmed that his country treasures relations with Vietnam and supports the EVFTA. He will join the Greek Government in bolstering all-round cooperation with Vietnam both in bilateral aspects and at multilateral forums. Minh also conveyed National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s invitation to visit Vietnam to Speaker Nikos Voutsis, who accepted with pleasure. After the trip to Greece, the Vietnamese Deputy PM will pay an official visit to Bulgaria from July 3 to 5. VNA