Bilateral co-operation with Morocco to rise

President Tran Duc Luong greets Moroccan King’s special envoy Taieb El Fassi Fihri

Vietnam will further develop and promote multi-faceted co-operation with Morocco, said President Tran Duc Luong yesterday, receiving Moroccan Kings special envoy Taieb El Fassi Fihri, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, on a visit to the country.

To enhance co-operation, both nations should open embassies, President Luong said, promising to boost ties with developing countries and friendly African nations.

Morocco , with its position in Africa and close relations to Europe , and Vietnam , with its role in Southeast Asia , had much to gain from bilateral and multilateral co-operation, he said.

Thanking the Government of Morocco for supporting Vietnam’ s bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and its candidature for a non-permanent member seat in the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-09 period.

President Luong stressed on the need for both countries to support each other in regional and international forums.

Minister Taieb El Fassi Fihri, in his reply, confirmed Morocco’ s preference for Vietnam as a partner in Southeast Asia , and conveyed the King of Morocco’s message to President Tran Duc Luong pledging to strengthen economic, trade and political relations with the country.

Minister Taieb El Fassi Fihri said on the basis of bilateral agreements signed by Vietnam and Morocco , the two countries needed to deepen their co-operation, focusing on detailed programmes and projects.

Trade relations between the two sides had not matched the potential and major sectors, including science and technology, services, finance and banking, aquaculture and agriculture, needed to be promoted, Minister Taieb El Fassi Fihri said.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, receiving Moroccan Minister Taieb El Fassi Fihri, agreed to tap the potential of both countries in trade and commerce, and stressed on the need to implement agreements approved by the two countries.

(Source: Viet Nam News)