Vietnam attaches importance to developing friendship and multifaceted co-operation with Spain and hopes that more Spanish businesses will expand investment in the country. Party leader Nong Duc Manh, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Van An made the remarks while separately receiving the visiting Spanish King Juan Carlos in Hanoi on February 20
Vietnam
attaches importance to developing friendship and multifaceted co-operation with Spain and hopes that more Spanish businesses will expand investment in the country. Party leader Nong Duc Manh, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Van An made the remarks while separately receiving the visiting Spanish King Juan Carlos in Hanoi on February 20.
Vietnamese leaders welcomed the King’s first visit to Vietnam and thanked Spain for its support for Vietnam’s Doi Moi (Renewal) process and its pledge to increase development aid to Vietnam.
King Juan Carlos expressed his pleasure at visiting Vietnam and praised Vietnam’s achievements in the Renewal and international economic integration process. The King said he believes that bilateral ties will further develop in various areas in the near future.
During earlier bilateral talks in the morning, State President Tran Duc Luong informed the King of Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements in recent times, the country’s external policy of self-reliance, independence, multiliteralisation and diversification in relations, and Vietnam’s active integration into the region and world.
Mr Luong praised Spain’s high economic growth rate and its strong role and voice in Europe and the rest of the world. He thanked the Spanish Government and people for its assistance to Vietnam during the current Renewal process and valued Spain’s policy of prioritising relations with Vietnam in the Asia-Pacific region.
He noted that the two countries’ potential is immense and they should expand and enhance long-term and mutually beneficial co-operative relations, particularly in the areas of economics, trade, investment, culture and tourism.
Mr Luong proposed that Spain continue to help Vietnam expand relations with the European Union and support the country after it joins the World Trade Organisation.
King Juan Carlos said that Spain will continue to give priority status to Vietnam among its Asian partners and support the country in its bid to join the WTO, as well as its candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
The two leaders agreed to further high-level exchange visits, establish a consultancy mechanism between the two foreign ministries and further Spains technical and material assistance to Vietnams industrialisation process.
The Spanish King promised to help promote Spanish training in Vietnam, as the language is an effective instrument of the Southeast Asian nation to facilitate ties with Spain and the Spanish-speaking community.
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Vietnam, Spain sign an agreement on investment encouragement and protection
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After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of four co-operative agreements between the two countries. They include an agreement on investment encouragement and protection, a programme on sports and physical training co-operation, a memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the Vietnam Ministry of Information and Culture and the Spanish Embassy in Hanoi to compile a bilingual Vietnamese-Spanish dictionary, and a co-operative agreement between Vietnam News Agency and Spanish News Agency.
In the evening, President Tran Duc Luong and his wife held a banquet in honour of the Spanish King and Queen.
FMs hold talks
Also in the morning, Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien held talks with his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos, who said Spain supports Vietnam’s bid to strengthen relations with the European Union and will grant assistance to the country after it joins the WTO.
Mr Moratinos praised Vietnam’s achievements in the Doi Moi (Renewal) and international economic integration process and expressed his belief that the current visit to Vietnam by the Spanish King and Queen will help boost bilateral co-operation in various areas.
Mr Nien thanked the Spanish Government for keeping Vietnam on the list of priority countries to develop relations with in Asia. He proposed specific measures to promote bilateral ties in economics, investment, trade, culture, education and tourism, as well as co-operation mechanisms between the two Foreign Ministries.
Mr Moratinos shared Mr Nien’s view that the two countries have not fully tapped their potential and that Spain can help Vietnam develop science and technology and increase its economic management skills.
The two FMs discussed several regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Mr Moratinos informed Mr Nien about the Spanish Prime Minister’s plan to visit Vietnam in 2007.
(Source: VOV)
