Vietnam and Cuba Pleased about 55 Years of Friendly Relations

Vietnam and Cuba are pleased today about their historic friendly relations, holding here the official reception to commemorate the 55th anniversary of those relations, attended by National Assembly Vice President Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. In the reception, they referred to the beginning of diplomatic relations on December 2, 1960, under the principles of the leaders of the respective countries, Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro.

Kim Ngan, also member of the Vietnamese Communist Party (PCV) Political Bureau, highlighted in her speech that along these years, both sides, sharing the ideals of independence, freedom and socialism, they made their best efforts to foster relations of solidarity and full trust.

She also said the Vietnamese people would always remember the support by the Caribbean country, especially by Fidel Castro, during the war for the country's liberation and reunification, its reconstruction and development processes, and mentioned the phrase that "for Vietnam, we are willing to give even our own blood," stated by the Cuban Revolution's leader, as a summary of the solidarity towards this nation.

This feeling grew stronger with another quote: "Vietnam and Cuba are twin brothers, two soldiers of the vanguard, one in the eastern hemisphere and the other in the west. When Vietnam sleeps, Cuba is awake, on duty for Vietnam, and vice versa," as Ho Chi Minh said.

She reiterated the support to the Caribbean island, faced with the US blockade for more years than these diploma tic relations. Before finishing her speech, the orator, also president of the Vietnam-Cuba Association of Friendship, referred to the future: "I am firmly certain that these friendly relations will be consolidated and developed in sustainably.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Herminio Lopez referred to other moments of these relations, as the fact that Cuba was the first country that recognized the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and in 1962, the foundation of the National Committee of Solidarity with this Vietnamese territory, the origin of the aforementioned association.