A message from Saadi Salama, ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam, on the 47th anniversary of his country's armed struggle on January 1.

Palestinians inspired by Vietnam's past struggle

Palestinian Ambassador Salama

With similarities in the struggle against foreign invaders, the relationship between Palestine and Vietnam started quite early, from the 1960s and even before the Palestine Liberation Organization (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-Vietnam 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 Hanoi in 1976, right after Vietnam's reunification on April 30, 1975. In 1981, Vietnam upgraded the representative office into an embassy and was one of the first countries to recognize 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, Vietnam gave special support to the Palestinian revolution in military and political and other fields since the 70s and 80s. Vietnam 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.

Vietnam has always been critical of any improper actions taken against the Palestinian people. Vietnam 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. Vietnam 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, Vietnam's achievements in the process of national industrialization and modernization 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 Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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, Vietnam and Palestine affirmed the necessity to improve and enrich their long-standing ties. In that spirit, the Palestine embassy in Vietnam sent over a Palestinian popular art troupe to Hanoi as a gift to mark the 1,000th anniversary of capital Hanoi.

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, Vietnam 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.