Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Pham Binh Minh held phone talks with Foreign Minister ofKuwait Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah on June 12 to discuss ways promotingbilateral ties as well as regional and global issues of concern.

It was their first talks since the Kuwaiti FM took office inlate 2019.

Deputy PM Minh spoke highly of Kuwait’s role in the MiddleEast.

He affirmed that Vietnam stays ready to share its experience in COVID-19response with Kuwait.

Both sides agreed to work together to repatriate Vietnameseworkers hurt by the pandemic from Kuwait.

They expressed satisfaction about the development oftraditional friendship over the past time with a two-way trade of nearly 3.6billion USD last year.

The two sides emphasised priority to deepening bilateral friendshipvia continuing to effectively realise signed agreements, enhancing exchange toseek breakthrough solutions to bilateral links, especially after the pandemicis under control.

They also proposed stepping up the exchange of high-levelvisits, trade and investment promotion, education and tourism collaboration.

On the occasion, Minh invited the Kuwaiti FM to visitVietnam next year when the two countries will celebrate the 45th anniversary ofbilateral diplomatic ties. The Kuwaiti FM accepted the invitation with pleasureand expressed his hope to welcome Deputy PM and FM Minh to Kuwait soon./.