Hanoi (VNA) – State President Luong Cuong has praised the significance of the ongo⛄ing Vietnam visit by Prof. Riad Malki, Special Envo💜y of the Palestinian President, saying that it contributes to further strengthening the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

During a reception for the Special Envoy in Hanoi on December 26, Cuong highlighted the historical bond between Vietnam and Palestine, a friendship nurtured through shared struggles for national independence and liberation, as well as by successive generations of their leaders and people. Vietnam consistently supports the Palestinian people's just struggle for national independence and the two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian State living peacefully alongside the State of Israel, in line with international law and relevant United Nations (UN) resolutions, he said, affirming that Vietnam has repeatedly called on all parties concerned to immediately cease fire, end hostilities and violence, respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and further increase emergency humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people. He said Vietnam welcomes and supports all international mediation and reconciliation efforts aimed at achieving a durable and fair peaceful solution in the Middle East. He reaffirmed Vietnam's consistent stance on strongly supporting the two-state solution, which includes the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State based on the pre-1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions. Vietnam is ready to cooperate with Palestine and the international community, within its capabilities, to contribute to humanitarian aid efforts along with mediation and reconciliation activities to achieve this essential goal, he asserted. The Special Envoy, for his part, conveyed a letter from Palestianian President Mahmoud Abbas expressing a desire to further foster cooperation with Vietnam. Admiring the remarkable achievements Vietnam has made, he praised the country as a model of success in national construction and development. He also shared the latest developments regarding the situation in Palestine and expressed profound gratitude for Vietnam's unwavering stance on supporting the legitimate and inviolable rights of the Palestinian people. At the meeting, both sides agreed on the need to actively share ideas to bolster collaboration in promising fields. This includes continuing mutual support at international forums and organisations, especially the UN. They will also step up bilateral cooperation mechanisms, firstly the political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, and increase in exchanges between friendship and people’s solidarity associations to reinforce the countries' unity and mutual understanding. Malki vowed close coordination to accelerate the realisation of commitments and outcomes of this visit to further strengthen the bilateral solidarity, traditional friendship and cooperation, meeting the expectations of leaders and people of both nations./.