Deputy Minister Foreign Affairs Doan Xuan Hung has been on a visit to Iraq as special envoy of the Prime Minister from April 6-9.
The PM special envoy is accompanied by representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Oil and Gas group and several enterprises.
While in Iraq, Hung met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Oil and Industry, the President of the National Investment Committee and the Permanent Deputy Agriculture Minister. He also held talks with the Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister.
Hung handed over PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s letter to the Iraqi PM which carried a message, affirming that Vietnam attached importance to Iraq’s role and position in the Middle East.
The Vietnamese PM expresses his wish to boost the friendly relation and multifaceted cooperation with Iraq, particularly in the fields of economy, trade, investment and oil and gas cooperation. He also stresses enhancement of coordination and cooperation at regional and international forum, especially at the UN Security Council.
In addition, Vietnam is ready to participate in Iraq’s economic recovery and reconstruction in accordance with its own capability.
PM Nuri al-Maliki stated that the two countries would have favourable conditions to further develop their cooperation, particularly in agriculture, oil and gas and trade.
He agreed that the two countries need to hold the 18th meeting of the Iraq-Vietnam Joint Committee in Baghdad. He expressed his hope that Vietnam would soon reopen its embassy in Iraq to facilitate cooperation between the two countries.
During meetings with Iraqi cabinet members, the Vietnamese PM special envoy discussed with the hosts measures to boost economic cooperation between the two countries. Iraqi officials pledged to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to engage in Iraq reconstruction and export rice, tea, cement, iron and steel to the country.