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Lieut. Gen. Vinh and Lord Astor of Hever.
Photo: VNA
Vietnam and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in London on Thursday to promote bilateral defense cooperation, thus contributing to elevating their strategic partnership.
Signatories were Lord Astor of Hever, Parliamentary under the Secretary of State for Defence and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, who is on a working visit to the UK at the invitation of the UK Ministry of Defense from Nov. 23-25.
The MoU is to provide a framework for enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation between the two ministries in a number of areas including the exchange of views and information on defense-related matters, more frequent exchange of delegations, and cooperation of defense industry, and cooperation on training and education for officers and technical staffs.
Deputy Minister Vinh said that the signing of the MoU marks a milestone in Vietnam – UK defense cooperation, helping further enhance future defence ties between the two countries.
Earlier the same day, Lieut. Gen. Vinh and Lord Astor of Hever held talks where they discussed measures to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation and international and regional issues that were concerned by both sides.
The UK side expressed that it is looking to engage more closely with Vietnam and other countries in the Asia-Pacific as a whole. It also welcomed the catalytic role that Vietnam has played in the region and expressed its hope that Vietnam will continue to make positive contributions to peace and stability in the region and the world.
"We had fruitful discussions on a number of topics and hope that the MOU will help facilitate a deeper level of cooperation between our two nations, enhancing the bilateral relationship, envisaged in the Strategic Partnership Declaration signed in London last year”, Lord Astor of Hever said.
During the three-day trip to the UK, the Vietnamese delegation also visited the Royal College of Defense Studies (RCDS), some industrial defense facilities and Royal Army.
