Armenia and Vietnam Enhance Cooperation in Multiple Areas

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is on an official visit to Vietnam, met with the country's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The official welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Pashinyan and Ms. Anna Hakobyan took place first, during which the two prime ministers and their wives greeted the members of the delegations. The national anthems of Armenia and Vietnam were played, and the Honor Guard conducted a march.

Following the ceremonial photo session, discussions proceeded in both narrow and expanded formats. The Prime Minister of Vietnam warmly welcomed the delegation led by Nikol Pashinyan on behalf of himself and the government, stating, "I am confident that our meeting will contribute to the development, expansion, and strengthening of cooperation in all areas. Mr. Prime Minister, it is symbolic that your visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of the visit to Armenia by Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. We are pleased that Armenia is overcoming difficulties and taking steps toward economic development, which is also strengthening Armenia's reputation on the international stage." Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed confidence that the visit of the Armenian Prime Minister would give new momentum to mutually beneficial cooperation in various domains.

The Prime Minister of Vietnam noted that many Vietnamese received education in Armenia during the Soviet era and contributed to the country's progress with their knowledge. Nikol Pashinyan expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and emphasized that the aim of his visit is to promote the advancement of political, economic, and humanitarian ties between Armenia and Vietnam. "We will discuss a wide range of issues, and I am confident that the decisions we make will contribute to the development of our states. The existing distance between our countries should not hinder the development of cooperation," said the Prime Minister.

According to the governmental leader, both countries have great potential for expanding relations, and governments should take concrete steps to realize that potential fully. Subsequently, the interlocutors discussed issues related to the expansion of trade and economic ties, cooperation in information technology, including engineering laboratories, tourism, healthcare, education, science, and environmental protection.

In addressing the expansion of trade and economic ties, the parties emphasized the importance of the active work of the intergovernmental commission. Specifically, an agreement was reached to hold a business forum during the next session of the commission, which will take place in Yerevan this autumn. The parties expressed confidence that this would give new impetus to joint investment projects and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Possibilities for importing Armenian brandy and wine into the Vietnamese market were also discussed. Nikol Pashinyan and Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreed to initiate discussions on signing an agreement to avoid double taxation. The parties are convinced that the creation of a free trade zone between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam will also give new impetus to the development of economic cooperation.

The two prime ministers emphasized the necessity of expanding cooperation in the tourism sector and highlighted the need for steps toward easing visa regulations. The collaboration between the regions of Armenia and Vietnam, the chambers of commerce, and the development of the bilateral legal framework were also noted as necessary. Nikol Pashinyan and Nguyen Xuan Phuc discussed further cooperation within international organizations, including the United Nations and the International Organization of La Francophonie, as well as other matters of mutual interest.

As a result of the meeting, an agreement on cooperation in the field of education and science was signed between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The agreement was signed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Avet Adonts, and the Deputy Minister of Education and Training of Vietnam, Nguyen Van Phuc, in the presence of Nikol Pashinyan and Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Afterward, the heads of the two governments made statements summarizing the results of the negotiations for media representatives. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc specifically stated: "Honorable Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, dear Armenian and Vietnamese journalists, friends, I am pleased to welcome the Armenian Prime Minister and government delegation who have come to Vietnam on an official visit, bringing with them the warm sentiments of the Armenian people. The Government and people of Vietnam always regard brotherly Armenia with love and respect. We are pleased that Armenia, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, has overcome recent difficulties and challenges and is now on the path of development. You are taking concrete steps in areas such as political life, economic development, and the establishment of Armenia's role and position in the international arena. The leadership of Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening friendship and cooperation with Armenia. Just now, negotiations were held between me and the Prime Minister, during which we discussed specific directions and steps to promote the development of cooperation between our two countries.

We have conducted successful negotiations and exchanged sincere and open thoughts on many issues. We have agreed to continue active cooperation at the level of governments, parliaments, as well as through business circles and people-to-people exchanges. We have agreed to enhance the intergovernmental commission's activities, trade and economic, and scientific and technical cooperation, and to promote the effective implementation of the free trade zone agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union, viewing it as a strong foundation for bilateral economic relations. We have also agreed to expand cooperation in other areas, such as education, healthcare, culture, sports, tourism, and security and defense. We deeply discussed steps to implement the agreement on the establishment of a free trade area between Vietnam and the EAEU, which I consider one of the most important issues of our cooperation.

Specific initiatives have also been demonstrated in the fields of tourism and defense. We have agreed to act mutually and support each other in international formats and discuss international issues of common interest, including the question of resolving issues in the Asia-Pacific region based on international law. The Government of Vietnam highly values and is confident that the Prime Minister's first visit to Vietnam marks a qualitatively new step in the strengthening and development of relations between Vietnam and Armenia. Once again, I thank Prime Minister Pashinyan and the Armenian government delegation for visiting Vietnam on an official visit.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan particularly noted: "Dear representatives of the media, Honorable Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to thank Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc for the warm hospitality and for receiving the Armenian delegation. I want to confirm that we held constructive and very substantive negotiations in a climate of mutual trust. We exchanged views on the issues of the bilateral agenda, discussing the main questions of cooperation in political, trade and economic, cultural, humanitarian, and other fields in a constructive atmosphere. My visit marks the beginning of a new, more dynamic, and intense relationship between our countries. I believe we have every reason to be satisfied with the outcomes of our negotiations, which confirmed our aspiration for the further development of our relationship and outlined pathways for collaboration. I am confident that based on mutual respect and traditional friendship, we will jointly uncover the potential of Armenian-Vietnamese cooperation and expand and deepen trade and economic relations, implementing joint projects.

We strive to diversify our external economic cooperation. In this respect, Vietnam, being a friendly country, is an important partner for Armenia in the Asia-Pacific region. I would like to note that we are impressed by Vietnam's economic progress, macroeconomic indicators, and the level of integration into regional and global economies. Vietnam is a country with a serious economy, and all regions of the world are interested in cooperating with it. Armenia also has much to offer. Our wide-ranging external economic relations can be of serious interest to Vietnamese producers. Armenia can serve as a platform that provides an opportunity to enter the markets of the European Union, CIS countries, Georgia, Iran, and the Middle East.

Additionally, I should mention that in the past year, decisive measures have allowed us to qualitatively change our country's economic and, particularly, investment environment. Today, there are no obstacles to foreign companies' activities in Armenia. Favorable conditions have been created for doing business. All the necessary legal mechanisms have also been created by the state to protect the property of foreign investors and promote their activities. During the negotiations, we expressed mutual readiness to take the necessary steps toward deepening relationships in areas of mutual interest. Armenia and Vietnam have the potential for cooperation in education, healthcare, tourism, the textile industry, information technology, science, and innovation.

In this context, we emphasized the importance of the intergovernmental commission's activities concerning economic, trade, and scientific and technical cooperation. This is an important tool for cooperation that we must fully utilize. We have agreed to hold a session of the Armenian-Vietnamese intergovernmental commission in October, along with a business forum that will involve not only official representatives but also members of the business community to examine potential investment opportunities in the economies of Armenia and Vietnam. As a result of this visit, we will initiate discussions on signing an agreement to avoid double taxation and explore the possibility of signing a specific memorandum in the field of tourism. It is also essential to mutually recognize each other's certificates between Armenia and Vietnam.

We also reaffirmed our readiness to expand cooperation within the EAEU-Vietnam framework. We must take all necessary steps to ensure that the free trade agreement with the EAEU serves fully the development of economic relations between our countries. Key issues in international and regional politics were also discussed. We addressed cooperation within international organizations, reaffirming our two countries' willingness to respect each other's interests. In conclusion, I would like to once again thank the Prime Minister, all our partners and friends on the Vietnamese side for their hospitality and productive negotiations."

In honor of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Mrs. Anna Hakobyan, an official dinner was hosted by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.