Palestinian Ambassador Saddi Salama.

Message from Saadi Salama, ambassador of the State of Palestine to Viet Nam, on the 47th anniversary of his country's armed struggle on January 1.

When in Palestine, if you say you are a Vietnamese you will be welcome as a distinguished guest. For those in the land that is still seeking independence, Viet Nam has become a symbol of a fighting spirit for sacred peace. The sentiments, solidarity and friendship that Vietnamese people have given to the Palestinians' struggle for justice over the past decades have been a strong driving force to make the two nations that are geographically distant come closer to each other and strengthen this special friendship.

With similarities in the struggle against foreign invaders, the relationship between Palestine and Viet Nam started quite early, from the 1960s and even before the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) launched the present-day Palestinian revolution in 1965. Since then, the closeness in ideas and targets for independence has helped further develop the Palestine-Viet Nam relationship, despite difficulties facing both parties due to wars.

However, the milestone of the mutual relationship was the official opening of PLO representative office in Ha Noi in 1976, right after Viet Nam's reunification on April 30, 1975. In 1981, Viet Nam upgraded the representative office into an embassy and was one of the first countries to recognise the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988.

In their enduring and arduous struggle for national freedom, the Palestinians have never forgotten the profound sentiments from the Vietnamese Government and people. In spite of difficulties in post-war national construction and development, Viet Nam gave special support to the Palestinian revolution in military and political and other fields since the 70s and 80s. Viet Nam always consistently supported the Palestinians' struggle for their basic national rights, especially rights to self-determination, to return and establish an independent Palestine State based on its 1967 borders.

 

Eye on the future: Students at a graduation ceremony. — Photos courtesy of Palestinian Embassy

Viet Nam has always been critical of any improper actions taken against the Palestinian people. Viet Nam also expressed its determined support for Palestine's efforts to exist as an independent state through its submission to the United Nations, asking for approval to be an official member of the body in September 2011. Viet Nam has many times asserted its view over a peaceful settlement of the Palestine-Israel conflict based on international law.

What Vietnamese people suffered in the past in fights against foreign invaders to protect their sovereignty and national territory is similar to what Palestinian people are faced with. Thus, Viet Nam's achievements in the process of national industrialisation and modernisation have been a great inspiration for the Palestinians to stand firmly and believe strongly in their future independence.

These similarities further facilitated both sides to continue building and developing their friendship, solidarity and co-operation in all fields. Since his first trip to Viet Nam in 1968, the late president Asser Arafat visited the country nine times. His deep affection set the foundation for the relationship between the two countries.

The latest visit to Viet Nam by Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas in May last year was targeted to maintain and develop this precious heritage. By signing multi-faceted co-operation documents, Viet Nam and Palestine affirmed the necessity to improve and enrich their long-standing ties. In that spirit, the Palestine embassy in Viet Nam sent over a Palestinian popular art troupe to Ha Noi as a gift to mark the 1,000th anniversary of capital Ha Noi.

Other efforts to improve the mutual understanding between the two nations also included the participation of a Palestinian group in the World Food Festival in Vung Tau City last year and the visit of Vietnamese journalists to Palestine for the first time in May this year.

With their connection from the past, Viet Nam and Palestine continue strengthening foundations to develop the traditional mutual co-operation and friendship in new directions in line with the expectations and interests of both sides. — VNS