site.btaMilitary Cooperation with Vietnam Discussed with Visiting Parliamentary Delegation

Cooperation in the military-technical sphere and the defence industry was discussed in Sofia between caretaker Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov and a parliamentary delegation from Vietnam, the Defence Ministry press office reported on Friday. The meeting was also attended by other members of Bulgaria's political and military leadership and officials of Defence Ministry directorates. The visiting delegation is led by Lieutenant-General Le Tan Toi, a member of the Standing Committee of Vietnam's National Assembly and Chairman of the Committee for National Defence and Security.

The sides talked about personnel training and bilateral exchange in military education. They looked at past and future measures to address the shortage of armed forces personnel.

The participants in the meeting highlighted the tradition of successful bilateral cooperation in the field of defence and the longstanding relationship between Bulgaria and Vietnam based on mutual respect and trust. They laid special emphasis on the importance of partnership to develop the two countries' potential in the dynamic economies of the European Union and Asia.

The guests were briefed on the main aspects and priorities of the Bulgarian defence policy, the contribution of the Bulgarian Armed Forces to overseas missions and operations and their role in civil protection.

Bulgaria's Deputy Defence Minister Radostin Iliev, Deputy Chief of Defence Lt. Gen. Mihail Popov and National Assembly Secretary Svetla Dobreva as well as Vietnam's Ambassador to Bulgaria Do Hoang Long and the Vietnamese Embassy's Defence Attaché Ha Man Hung were at the meeting.