Vietnam to help Timor Leste soon become official member of ASEAN: FM

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

FM Son made the statement during a a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno on February 4 on the sideslines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The two sides agreed to promote exchange of delegations at all levels, soon hold the first meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation at the ministerial level as agreed in the Framework Agreement on Technical and Economic Cooperation in April 2010,  implement signed agreements, and accelerate negotiations and signing of new agreements in order to boost tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

The Timor Leste minister spoke highly of Vietnam's important socio-economic development achievements, and said that leaders of Timor Leste are very pleased with the investment of  Vietnam’s telecoms group Viettel in Timor Leste, which contributes to the local development.

There is great potential for the two nations to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, she said.

She affirmed that she would work to promote cooperation between the two countries in the coming time, not only in the bilateral channels but also within ASEAN.

On this occasion, FM Son had short meetings with his counterparts of Indonesia, Laos, Singapore and Brunei to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations./.

VNA