13 November 2009, 11:14 am
Hanoi – Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged Thailand to strengthen military cooperation for the benefit of both countries, state media reported Thursday. The armies of the two countries should continue joint sea patrols, information exchanges, training for officers, and cooperation in crime prevention and control, said Dung while receiving Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon Wednesday. Viet Nam News on Thursday quoted Dung as saying he was pleased to see the continuous development of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in many fields such as economy, trade, investment, culture, education and training, security and defence. Cooperation between the armies of Vietnam and Thailand, especially their joint sea patrols, has contributed to boosting mutual ties and benefits, Dung said. He also stressed that Vietnam was willing to soon welcome the Thai prime minister to visit Vietnam. Before that, Vietnamese Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh had held talks with his Thai counterpart, Prawit Wongsuwon. The two ministers discussed the security situation in the region, relations between Vietnam and Thailand, and agreed on more joint sea patrols. Vietnam is strengthening military cooperation with many countries in the region and the world like the Philippines, India, Japan and the United States. A Vietnamese defence official who declined to be named said Thanh would visit the Pentagon in Washington in the third quarter this year. (Earthtimes)... Read More »