Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien (second from left) attends the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

* At the bilateral meeting with General Robert Brieger, Chairman of the European Union (EU) Military Committee, the Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense and the Chairman of the EU Military Committee highly appreciated the results of cooperation in the defense field in recent times, contributing to peace, cooperation and development, on the basis of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation (PCA) between Vietnam and the EU and the Agreement on the establishment of a framework for Vietnam's participation in EU crisis management activities (FPA); most recently, the two sides successfully held the third Defense and Security Dialogue on May 12.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien received General Robert Brieger, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee.

The Chairman of the EU Military Committee sincerely thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense for sending two officers to teach at the EU Training Mission in Central Africa; and affirmed that the EU will continue to send officers to work and support the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien highly appreciated the results of cooperation in training and coaching; and suggested that the EU continue to promote more effective cooperation in overcoming the consequences of war in Vietnam.

*At the meeting with Ms. Christine Cipolla, Regional Director for Asia- Pacific of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Ms. Christine Cipolla sincerely thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense for its support and facilitation in coordinating training activities and disseminating knowledge related to International Humanitarian Law and the Law of Armed Conflict; and congratulated Vietnam on its success in participating in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien received Ms. Christine Cipolla, Asia-Pacific Regional Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien highly appreciated the results of cooperation with the ICRC in recent times in training, coaching, UN peacekeeping and overcoming the consequences of war. The Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam affirmed that the Government and agencies, ministries and sectors of Vietnam are always interested in cooperation in the humanitarian field. Sharing about the consequences of dioxin, unexploded ordnance left over from the war in Vietnam, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien affirmed his support for cooperation with the ICRC in overcoming the consequences of war in Vietnam.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Mr. James Crabtree, Executive Director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia region.

* At the meeting with Mr. James Crabtree, Executive Director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia region, Mr. James Crabtree sincerely thanked Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and the delegation for attending the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue and conveyed the thanks of the IISS Board of Directors to the Vietnamese Minister of National Defense.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien congratulated IISS and the Singapore Ministry of Defense on successfully organizing the 20th Shangri-La Dialogue; shared that the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense highly appreciated and will continue to attend the next Shangri-La Dialogues as well as conferences within the framework of the dialogue.

News and photos: HOA HIEU