Paris (VNA) - National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong held talks with his French counterpart Bernard Accoyer following an official welcome ceremony on June 25.

Chairman Trong told his host that Vietnam and France have enjoyed time-honoured relations that have developed fruitfully and are forecast to record more development in the future.

The two nations have similar characteristics and conditions that can facilitate the friendship and multifaceted cooperation, he said, adding that the signing of an agreement between the two legislatures during his current visit will lay a foundation for boosting the legislative relationship.

For his part, President Accoyer said he hoped that France and Vietnam will further promote bilateral cooperative ties, particularly in economics, culture, education, training, science and technology, as well as within the framework of the Francophone community.

The French legislative leader praised Vietnam for its socio-economic achievements and expressed his delight at the fine developments in the traditional friendship and all-round cooperation between France and Vietnam , including the two legislative bodies.

President Accoyer went on to applaud the Vietnamese legislature’s efforts to build a law-governed State. He also spoke highly of contributions made by the Vietnamese community in France , considering it a bridge for the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two nations.

While emphasising the need to preserve national identity in the context of globalisation, the legislator said he hoped more Vietnamese people speak the French language to enable closer exchanges, and cultural and educational cooperation.

After their talks, the two leaders signed a cooperation agreement under which the two legislatures will increase exchanges as well as information and experience sharing, especially in law-making and supervision activities in order to speed up the implementation of deals inked between the two States and governments.

The legislative bodies pledged to join with the two governments to create firm and stable legal frameworks for the development of Vietnam-France traditional ties.

They also committed to strengthening bilateral relations by increasing the exchange of visits by high-ranking delegations from the two law-making bodies, friendship parliamentarians’ groups, and legislators themselves.

The two NAs will conduct reciprocal consultation on international issues of mutual concern and intensify bilateral cooperation at forums such as the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophone (APF).

Both sides also agreed to support mutually assisted relations between the governments of Vietnam and France in international and French speaking organisations, and in the Vietnam-European Union relationship.

NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Paris on June 24 (local time) on a three-day official visit to France at the invitation of the Senate President Christian Poncelet.