CAIRO, Aug 27, 2018 - Summit talks between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and visiting Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang have produced agreement to give a major push to economic co-operation especially through targeting an increase in the volume of trade exchanges to reach $1 billion annually and encouraging the growth of investments. Egypt and Vietnam have also stressed the importance of consolidating international co-operation in combatting terrorism and expressed support for efforts to reach such a political solution to the situation in the Middle East in such a way that guarantees the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries of the region. A joint communiqué issued on Monday following a round of summit talks between the leaders reiterated that Egypt and Vietnam stand in support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and stress the necessity of peace negotiations leading to a just, comprehensive and final settlement of the Palestinian cause on the basis of the two-state solution, the pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as capital of the Palestinian state. In the communiqué, Egypt and Vietnam emphasised their keenness to enhance the liberalisation and facilitation of trade and the encouragement of investments. The two countries also expressed support for a just and comprehensive multi-lateral trade order with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) undertaking a central role. The Sisi-Quang summit talks, the communiqué said, were held in an amiable atmosphere and featured an extensive consideration of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern. During the summit, the two sides welcomed the positive progress of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in September 1963 and also following President Sisi's visit to Hanoi in September last year, the communiqué said. President Quang congratulated President Sisi over winning a new term in office in the elections held in March this year, noting that this re-election opens multiple horizons for social and economic development in Egypt as well as for the furtherance of the relations of friendship and co-operation between the two countries, the communiqué said. President Quang also congratulated President Sisi over his election for the 2019 chairmanship of the African Union, noting that this step proves the growth of Egypt's role and political stature at regional and international levels. For his part, the Egyptian leader congratulated President Quang over the important achievements that Vietnam has made in the fields of social and economic development as well as in foreign affairs, making special reference in this context to the success Vietnam achieved in the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, the communiqué said. The Egyptian leader also expressed confidence that Vietnam will shortly realise its aspiration for becoming an industrially - developed country. Speaking to a joint press conference with President Quang following their summit talks yesterday, President Sisi emphasised that Egypt is paying attention to the enhancement of relations with Vietnam in view of the latter's regional weight and huge capabilities as well as its support of Egypt's joining the agreement of friendship and co-operation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Elaborating, President Sisi stressed that Egypt's joining of the ASEAN is considered a step that would contribute to pushing forward relations with the ASEAN countries to new horizons as well as enhancing co-operation with them in various fields and benefiting from the experiences of these pioneer developing countries. Noting that the two countries share the same views on realising stability, security and peace and achieving economic development, President Sisi said that Egypt welcomes the intensification of co-operation and coordination with Vietnam during Egypt's chairmanship of the African Union in 2019 in a way that fulfills the interests of both countries as well as the African and Asian continents. President Sisi also asserted that the Vietnamese president's visit to Egypt is of special importance as it is the first visit by a Vietnamese president to Egypt since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 55 years ago. In statements to the Middle East News Agency (MENA), Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said that the Sisi-Quang talks reflected the huge positive development in bilateral relations in an unprecedented way in addition to the provision of a joint political will to boost these relations at all levels, especially in agriculture and industry.
