Hanoi (VNA) – The MoroccanGovernment wants to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in various spheres andwill make every effort to promote relations between the two governments,Moroccan Prime Minister Saad EddineEl Othmani has said.

PM Othmanimade the remarks at a reception for Vo Van Thuong, Politburo member, Secretaryof the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and head of the CPVCentral Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, who visited theAfrican country from June 13-17.

He said thefriendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Morocco is a special and closerelationship, which was fostered during the past struggles for nationalliberation of the two countries.  

The leaderpointed out that the bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, investment andculture has yet to match the good political ties between the two countries aswell as their potential.

He suggested Vietnam andMorocco promptly implement signed cooperation agreements, step up politicalconsultations and all-level delegation exchanges and continue buildingmechanisms to create favourable conditions for stronger partnerships betweentheir businesses.

For his part, Thuong reiteratedthe Vietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy of expanding its friendshipand cooperation with all countries for peace, cooperation and development inthe region and the world.

Vietnam attaches importanceto maintaining and developing relations with traditional friends, includingMorocco – one of the country’s prioritized partners in North Africa, hestressed.

He thanked the Moroccan PMand Government for their support for Vietnam’s candidacy for a non-permanentseat in the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021.

Vietnam is willing to workas a bridge to help Morocco expand its relations with other Southeast Asiannations, especially in the context that Vietnam will take over the ASEANChairmanship in 2020, the official said.

Thuong also expressed hishope for stronger cooperation with Morocco in all spheres, especially tourism,culture, clean energy and agriculture.

He proposed the Moroccan PMand Government pay more attention to enhancing relations between localities ofthe two countries.

On this occasion, Thuongconveyed PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s invitation to his Moroccan counterpart to soonpay an official visit to Vietnam.

While in Morocco, Thuong metwith Speaker of the Moroccan House ofRepresentatives Habib El Malki, during which he said the increased exchanges ofhigh-ranking parliamentary delegations would help to strengthen cooperationbetween the two countries in the time ahead.

Hecalled on the Moroccan legislator to supervise and create favourable conditionsfor the implementation of cooperation agreements signed by the two governments.

The Vietnameseand Moroccan legislatures should continue their coordination and mutual supportat multilateral forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union, he suggested.

Thuongconveyed Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’sinvitation to the Speaker to pay an official visit to Vietnam.

Inreply, Malki said the House of Representatives will join hands with theMoroccan Government to devise a mechanism monitoring cooperation activities betweenthe two countries, while intensifying exchanges with the Vietnam-MoroccoFriendship Parliamentarians Group.

With thecloseness in history, politics and culture, Vietnam and Morocco can expandtheir collaboration, he said.

Hecalled on Vietnam to help Morocco boost ties with other Southeast Asiannations, saying Morocco hopes to soon become an observer of the ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly.

OnJune 17, Thuong had separate meetings with the President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council and the Governor of Casablanca.

On June 14,he held talks with leaders of four parties in the Moroccan coalitiongovernment, who said they want to consolidate and enhance cooperation with the CPV,especially in Party building and theoretical research.

The sidesagreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations and maintain thesharing of information and experience, cultural exchanges between youth andwomen organisations as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Thuonginvited leaders of the Moroccan parties to soon visit Vietnam and have workingsessions with the CPV.

During ameeting with Moroccan Minister of Culture and Communications Mohamed Laarej onthe same day, he suggested the two countries beef up bilateral collaboration indifferent realms, especially tourism, cinematography, press, literature andarts.

The twosides agreed to soon organise cultural weeks in each country to increase mutualunderstanding between the Vietnamese and Moroccan people.

Laarej saidhe will invite Vietnam to join the Morocco international book fair in 2020.-VNA