Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang said when hosting a welcome ceremony in Hanoi on September 4 for Minister of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan Colonel General Hasanov Zakir Asgar Oglu, who is in Vietnam for an official visit and attendance at the 80th anniversary of the country’s August Revolution and National Day.
Following the ceremony, the two ministers held talks, during which Giang expressed appreciation to Hasanov Zakir and his delegation for joining Vietnam’s historic national celebrations, stressing that Vietnam treasures its traditional friendship with Azerbaijan, which has been nurtured by generations of leaders and people of the two countries.
He recalled the state visit to Azerbaijan in May 2025 by Party General Secretary To Lam, which marked a milestone in bilateral relations, with the establishment of a strategic partnership and the creation of a new foundation for expanding defense cooperation.
Mr. Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnam’s construction of a monument honoring Soviet military experts, including those from Azerbaijan, at the Vietnam Military History Museum reflects the profound appreciation of the Vietnamese Party, State, military, and people for Azerbaijan's invaluable assistance during their resistance wars.
Vietnam has consistently pursued a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralization, and diversification of external relations, as well as its “Four Nos” defense policy, Giang underscored. He also emphasized the country’s stance of resolving disputes by peaceful measures in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and its support for the early finalization of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.
At the event, the two ministers agreed that defense cooperation has been promoted over the recent past, in line with state-level relations, notably in delegation exchange, the defense industry, mine clearance, and engagement in multilateral forums. A Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation was signed as part of the Vietnamese Party chief’s May visit, contributing to bolstering bilateral collaboration more substantively and effectively.
Looking ahead, Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang suggested both sides work together to expand cooperation in areas such as training, the defense industry, military trade, and logistics–technical support, as well as the exploration of new cooperation domains where both countries have demand and potential. He also proposed establishing defense attaché offices in each other's countries, welcomed Azerbaijani cadets to study Vietnamese at the Military Science Academy, and invited them to attend the international defense officers’ course at the National Defense Academy.
Hasanov Zakir, for his part, expressed gratitude for Vietnam’s invitation and delight at the robust relations between the two countries, especially following Party General Secretary To Lam’s trip. He affirmed Azerbaijan’s willingness to advance substantive defense cooperation with Vietnam, contributing to the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Concluding the talks, the two ministers signed a Letter of Intent on military personnel training cooperation.
