Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem says the ongoing visit by Pakistani Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed plays an important role in boosting cooperative ties between the two legislatures and the two nations as well.

Receiving Senator Mushahid in Hanoi on July 1, the deputy PM expressed his delight at positive changes in bilateral relations and rapid growth in two-way trade in the recent past. However, the results have yet to be commensurate with potentials of both sides, he added.

Deputy PM Khiem who doubles as Foreign Minister said he hoped that his guest’s visit will open up cooperation opportunities for the two legislative bodies in particular, and Vietnam and Pakistan in general.

In reply, Senator Mushahid said he hoped Pakistan to become a comprehensive partner of Vietnam as well as other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the near future.

He took this occasion to thank Vietnam for its support for Pakistan in the Asia-Europe cooperation mechanism and in promoting its relationship with other ASEAN member nations.

The Pakistani official believed that Vietnam will successfully undertake the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in July.

Earlier, Senator Mushahid and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Van Son held talks about activities of their legislatures and ties between the two nations.

They noted that Vietnam and Pakistan have many similarities in history and culture, as well as potentials and conditions to further enhance bilateral ties, noting that the visit, the first ever by a Pakistani Senate delegation, marked a milestone and ushered in a new stage of development in relations between the two legislative bodies and the two nations as a whole.

Both host and guest emphasised the need to expand cooperation between the two countries for mutual benefits, and beef up friendly and cooperative ties between the legislatures through the sharing of information and law-making experiences.

The legislators agreed to increase coordination at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums, and prepare for the signing of a cooperation deal between the two law-making bodies at an appropriate time.