Viet Nam, Switzerland affirm co-operative
efforts
(05-08-2008)
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01POL050808
|
Party General Secretary Nong Duc
Manh yesterday welcomed Swiss
President Pascal Couchepin on
his official visit to the
country. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan
Sang |
|
President Nguyen Minh Triet
yesterday received Switzerland
President Pascal Couchepin at
the Presidential Palace. — VNA/VNS
Photo Nguyen Khang |
HA NOI
— Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh said
yesterday that Swiss President Pascal
Couchepin and his wife’s official visit to
Viet Nam has opened a new stage in
friendship and co-operation between the two
countries.
He
made the statement while meeting with the
Swiss President yesterday afternoon, who is
on an official visit to Viet Nam from August
3-6.
Manh
thanked the Swiss Government and people for
their help in the previous struggles for
national independence and national unity,
and the country’s current development drive.
The
Party leader said that Viet Nam had always
attached much importance to relations with
Switzerland and would do its best to further
develop multi-faceted co-operation, for the
benefit of the two peoples and for peace,
co-operation and development in the region
and the world.
President Nguyen Minh Triet had already met
with Couchepin yesterday morning.
President Triet noted that the official
visit to Viet Nam by the Swiss President and
his wife was an important event.
Triet
said that he appreciated Switzerland’s
assistance to Viet Nam in environmental and
human ecology protection, hunger eradication
and poverty alleviation.
The
two leaders agreed to further boost
bilateral co-operation, especially in
economy, trade, investment, and education
and training. They said they appreciated
agreements to be signed between universities
of the two countries.
Couchepin affirmed that he would continue to
support Viet Nam in international economic
integration, and he said Switzerland would
provide funding to help Viet Nam deal with
joining the World Trade Organisation.
He
said that he highly valued bilateral
co-operation between the two countries, as
well as co-operation in international
forums.
Couchepin said he wanted to boost
co-operation with Viet Nam, especially in
education and training, science and
technology. He said Switzerland was ready to
share with Viet Nam its experiences in
lifting the value and productivity of
commodities.
Joint communique
The
two presidents issued a joint communique to
affirm co-operation relations between the
two nations.
It
stressed that the visit was being held at an
important moment, when Viet Nam had gained
great achievements in renewal, while it was
also dealing with some temporary
difficulties of its macro-economy. In these
circumstances, the visit showed
Switzerland’s support to Viet Nam’s
development and international integration.
The
two leaders agreed to sign a waiver to
exempt visas for diplomatic passport bearers
between the two Governments in the near
future.
The
two leaders said they were happy to see the
progress of economic and trade relations
between the two countries. Bilateral trade
turnover increased by more than 50 per cent
from 2000 to 2007, reaching US$410 million.
The
two leaders emphasised the important role of
Swiss development aid to Viet Nam, which
contributed to Viet Nam’s achievements in
hunger eradication and poverty alleviation
in implementing the UN Millennium
Development Goals. To maintain this
development, the Swiss President affirmed
his country would continue to support Viet
Nam.
The
two leaders encouraged co-operation between
financial agencies and banks of the two
sides. Switzerland affirmed it would
continue to help Viet Nam in this aspect.
President Triet said that he appreciated
Switzerland’s support in joining the World
Trade Organisation and becoming a
non-permanent member of the UN’s Security
Council.
Further talks
In a
separate talk with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan
Dung yesterday, Couchepin pledged to support
Vietnamese goods in the Swiss market,
especially coffee, garment and textiles
while encouraging Swiss businesses to invest
in Viet Nam
He
also committed to increase Official
Development Assistance to Viet Nam in the
fields of environment, education and
training.
Earlier, PM Dung reiterated that Viet Nam
wanted to co-operate further with
Switzerland in all aspects, especially in
trade, investment, education and training.
Dung
said the Vietnamese Government and people
have always wanted and would try their
utmost to deepen Viet Nam-Switzerland
relations in an attempt to bring about
practical benefits to both countries.
He
presented the current socio-economic
situation in the country, especially
measures to curb inflation, stabilise the
macro-economy, ensure social welfare and
maintain a proper growth rate in the context
of the present global economy’s recession.
National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong
also received Couchepin on the same day.
He
said that delegations from both countries’
national assemblies have exchanged visits in
the past and hoped there would be much more
in the future.
Trong
said Viet Nam wished to welcome the head of
the Swiss parliament and other
parliamentarians to visit soon.
As for
reform and the development process in Viet
Nam, Trong told his guest that Viet Nam was
implementing administrative and judicial
reform while renewing the National
Assembly’s operational mode to better
implement basic functions such as
legislation, supervision and deciding the
important issues of the country.
Viet
Nam has always attached great importance to
solving social issues, reducing poverty and
protecting the ecological environment for
sustainable development, Trong stated.
General Vo Nguyen Giap later requested
Switzerland to help Viet Nam in educating
the young generation, especially in science
and technology, at a meeting with Couchepin.
Couchepin showed respect for Giap, saying
Switzerland was an independent country and
had learned a great deal from the general
and from Viet Nam.
General Giap presented his guest with a book
entitled: "General Headquarters in the
Spring of Great Victory". — VNS |