On the morning of August 1st, following the welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, President To Lam held talks with President Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor Leste.
The President warmly welcomed the President of Timor Leste and emphasized that President Jose Ramos-Horta's third visit to Vietnam, including two in his capacity as President, would contribute to creating new momentum for cooperation between the two countries; he thanked the leaders and people of Timor Leste for their kind sentiments towards Vietnam.
The President congratulated Timor Leste on its achievements in socio-economic development; and wished Timor Leste success in implementing its "National Strategic Development Plan for the period 2011-2030," leading to deeper international integration and making positive contributions to peace, prosperity, and development in the region.
President Jose Ramos-Horta thanked the State and people of Vietnam for the warm and thoughtful reception given to the delegation; expressed admiration for the revolutionary cause, national construction and development of the Vietnamese leaders and people; considered Vietnam a model of development; and affirmed that Timor Leste values and wishes to further promote the good friendship with Vietnam. On this occasion, the President of Timor Leste once again extended his deepest condolences on the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the remarkable progress in bilateral relations. High-level exchanges and contacts have been maintained in a substantive manner. Economic and trade cooperation has yielded encouraging results; bilateral import and export turnover is expected to exceed the 15.9 million USD figure in 2023; the effective investment and business activities of Viettel Telecommunications Group (Telemor) have made a positive contribution to the economic and social development of Timor Leste.
Discussing major areas of cooperation in the coming period, both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and contacts at high levels and other levels; effectively implement the Framework Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation; promote the early organization of the first meeting of the Vietnam-Timor Leste Joint Committee at the Foreign Minister level; and study and work towards establishing new bilateral mechanisms suitable to the cooperation needs of the two countries.
The President affirmed Vietnam's readiness to continue supplying rice, contributing to Timor Leste's food security; proposed that the two sides extend or sign a new Memorandum of Understanding on Rice Trade; encouraged Timor Leste to increase imports of high-quality Vietnamese goods such as textiles, footwear, beverages, dairy products, processed foods, agricultural and aquatic products; requested Timor Leste to soon ratify the Bilateral Trade Agreement (signed in 2013); and create favorable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to expand their operations and investments in the region.
Thanking President To Lam for sharing Vietnam's valuable experience in development and international integration, President Jose Ramos-Horta agreed to closely coordinate efforts to create new breakthroughs in economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries; expand cooperation in promising areas such as agriculture, fisheries; exploitation and processing of forest resources, mineral resources, metal ores, and non-ferrous metals; and support Vietnam's proposals for cooperation, grasping and utilizing new trends for development. President Jose Ramos-Horta expressed his hope that Vietnam would continue to share its experience and support Timor Leste in developing human resources, ensuring food security, and eradicating poverty.
Both sides also agreed to effectively exploit the potential for cooperation in other important areas, especially agriculture, fisheries, telecommunications, education, oil and gas, infrastructure construction, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Discussing regional and international issues of common concern, both sides agreed to continue strengthening cooperation and mutual support in international and regional organizations. President To Lam highly appreciated Timor Leste's determination and efforts in implementing the "Timor Leste Roadmap to becoming a full member of ASEAN," affirming Vietnam's support for Timor Leste to soon become a full member of ASEAN.
President Jose Ramos-Horta affirmed that Timor Leste fully supports Vietnam's candidacies in multilateral mechanisms, including the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and other international organizations.
Regarding the South China Sea issue, both sides committed to continuing to support the rule of law in maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea; resolving disputes through peaceful means based on international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); seriously and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); negotiating the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (COC); and contributing to maintaining peace, stability, and development in the region.
The talks took place in a friendly, sincere, trusting, and mutually understanding atmosphere. Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing ceremony of the bilateral visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
On this occasion, President Jose Ramos-Horta respectfully invited President To Lam to visit Timor Leste. The President happily accepted the invitation and will arrange it at a suitable time.
Earlier, President Jose Ramos-Horta and the high-ranking delegation from Timor Leste visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and laid wreaths at the Monument to the Martyrs on Bac Son Street, Hanoi.
Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/chu-tich-nuoc-to-lam-hoi-dam-voi-tong-thong-timor-leste-377674.html
