Hanoi (VNA) – National AssemblyChairman Vuong Dinh Hue had a meeting with Mauricio Zunino, Acting Mayor of Montevideo,the capital city of Uruguay, on April 27 (local time).

The Montevideo leader expressed his beliefthat NA Chairman Hue’s visit, the most important activity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Vietnam-Uruguay diplomatic relations, will contribute to furtherdeepening bilateral relations.

To mark this milestone, the city will signa letter of intent on cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City, he said, underliningthat the first cooperation deal between localities of the two countries willopen up new collaboration prospects for partnership among other Vietnamese andUruguayan localities.

Mauricio Zunino expressed his hope to learn fromVietnam’s development experience, revealing that the city is considering asuitable location to name it after a place of Vietnam.

NA Chairman Hue said that the visit, hisfirst to Uruguay as the Vietnamese NA leader, aims to promote bilateral partnershipthrough not only the parliamentary channel but also the Party, Government,local and people-to-people ones.

He briefed the host on his meetings withleaders of the Uruguay Parliament, underlining that for the first time, Vietnamhas signed a cooperation agreement with both the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of Uruguay to bolster bilateral parliamentary partnership inthe time to come.

During high-level meetings and meetingsbetween his entourage members and their Uruguayan counterparts, the two sidesagreed on orientations to boost bilateral ties in politics, diplomacy, defence,security, economy, trade, and investment, as well as collaboration amonglocalities, tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

The two sides concurred to work together tolaunch negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the SouthernCommon Market (Mercosur) in which Uruguay is a member.

Despite its small population, Uruguay has ahigh level of development and high per capita income, he noted, holding thatthere is plenty of room for the two sides to cooperate.

Underlining the important role of Montevideoas an economic locomotive of Uruguay and a gateway for the Latin American tothe world, NA Chairman Hue expressed his impression that the city has beenlisted as the most liveable in South America and Latin American region.

He lauded the signing of the letter ofintent between HCM City and Montevideo, which pays the way for the officialpartnership between the two sides. He said he hopes Montevideo’s connectionwith HCM City, one of the leading economic hubs of Vietnam, will help promotetrade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.

The naming of a location of Montevideo after a Vietnamese place will alsocontribute to deepening the friendship and understanding between the twopeoples.

On the occasion, NA Chairman Hue and Acting Mayor Mauricio Zunino witnessed thesigning of the letter of intent between HCM City and Montevideo.

Acting Mayor Mauricio Zunino also presentedthe title of Honorary Guest of Montevideo to NA Chairman Hue in recognition ofthe Vietnamese leader’s contributions to the reinforcement of cooperationbetween the two countries as well as during Vietnam’s national construction anddevelopment.

He said that people of Montevideoand Uruguay always admire Vietnamese people for their bravery in nationaldefence and development.

NA Chairman Hue thanked the city for the title, affirming that Vietnam neverforgets the support and whole-hearted help from people in Latin Americancountries, including Uruguay, during the past struggle for independence and the current national defence and construction./.