On the 04 November 2019, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Viet Nam Prasanna Gamage met with the Deputy Minister of National Defence and Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the People's Army of Vietnam, at the Ministry of Defence of Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
Ambassador Gamage was ceremoniously received by Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang to the Ministry of National Defence, who conveyed his greetings and best wishes to the newly appointed Ambassador for a successful tenure in Ha Noi. Sr. Lt. Gen Giang requested that the Ambassador communicate his warmest greetings and best wishes to the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka and Commander of Army.
Appreciating the excellent military and bilateral cooperation between the two countries, the Deputy Minister of National Defence stated that both countries should strive to harness the full potential of the MoU of the Defence Cooperation, which was signed in 2011. Senior Lt. General Giang suggested that both countries enhance their cooperation, especially in the areas of training, exchange of delegations, military logistics, and sharing experience in peace keeping operations with the UN. Though Viet Nam will have a busy year ahead in 2020, being both Chair of ASEAN and a non-permanent member of the UNSC, the Deputy Minister suggested that both countries organize events to commemorate the 50 years of formal diplomatic relations in 2020. Senior Lieutenant General Giang also thanked Sri Lanka for voting for Viet Nam to become a non-permanent member of the UNSC and inviting Viet Nam to important Defence related events held in Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Gamage conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of Army of Sri Lanka to the Senior Lt. Gen. Giang. The Ambassador acknowledged the fact that the provisions of the existing MoU on Defense cooperation should be utilized in full by both countries. He revisited the longstanding friendly relations between Sri Lanka and Viet Nam and with Sri Lanka having been one of the first countries to recognize the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. Ambassador Gamage emphasized that the friendship would be further strengthened during both his tenure and with the events that will be organized to commemorate the 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Ambassador also thanked People’s Army of Viet Nam for inviting Sri Lankan Military officials to the seminars, training courses, conferences and meetings in Viet Nam and informed that the Commander of Sri Lanka Navy would participate at the International Maritime Review (IMR) Conference – 2020, which will be held in Viet Nam in May, 2020.
Third Secretary/Commercial of the Embassy Prasadi Boomawalage assisted Ambassador Gamage and Deputy Director General, Department of Foreign Relations Major General Nguyễn Đại Hội and Senior Colonel Võ Khải Tuan, Assistant of Asia Room, Department of Foreign Relations Ministry of National Defense and several other senior Officials of the Ministry of National Defence of Viet Nam associated with the Senior Lt. Gen. Giang during the meeting.
