Botswana wants to increase cooperation with Vietnam
(VOV) - Botswana hopes to soon sign an agreement on economic, cultural, scientific and technical cooperation with Vietnam, and implement agriculture projects under the current tripartite cooperation model in its territory.
President Seretse Khama Ian Khama expressed hope at a meeting with Vietnamese ambassador to Botswana Le Huy Hoang in capital Gaborone on June 6.
He said he is admired by Vietnamese people’s brave struggle for national independence in the past, and expected to visit Vietnam after his country’s elections in October 2014.
Ambassador Hoang conveyed President Truong Tan Sang’s best regards to President Ian Khama, and affirmed that the government and people of Vietnam want to tighten traditional friendship with the government and people of Botswana.
He proposed that Botswana recognise Vietnam’s market economy status and support its bid for a seat on the UNESCO Executive Council, ECOSOC Council, and the UN Security Council.
The diplomat briefed his host on the recent tensions in the East Sea following China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, as well as Vietnam’s measures to boost bilateral cooperation, especially in economics, trade, education and agriculture.
President Ian Khama condemned the use of the ‘gunboat diplomacy’ to intimidate a smaller nation and said all disputes should be settled through peaceful measures in accordance with international law.
Earlier the same day, Foreign Minister Phandu Skelemani received ambassador Hoang to exchange measures to boost diplomatic ties between the two countries.
He pledged to work with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and other relevant agencies to soon recognise Vietnam’s market economy status.