Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, currently on an official visit to Vietnam, used the opportunity to promote the incorporation of the army into civilian life and the country's wider development.
Gotabhaya met with President Truong Tan Sang and the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Monday.
President Sang reportedly citing 'cultural similarities' and 'long-lasting traditional relations', said he hoped for deeper cooporation and sharing of experience in development and national construction.
Gotabhaya, welcoming the President's expressed vision of greater cooperation, stressed his desire to help promote the role of the army in socio-economic development.
Lieut. Gen. Vinh specifically thanked Sri Lanka for supporting Vietnam's struggle for national independence.