The opening and closing ceremonies for ASEM 5 will be held at Ba Dinh Meeting Hall. — VNA/VNS Photo

Vietnamese leaders meet Asia, Europe counterparts

HA NOI — Viet Nam’s leaders on Thursday met with leaders from Asian and European countries who are attending the fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 5).

While meeting with Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo President Tran Duc Luong said he shared Arroyo’s satisfaction with the expanded friendship and co-operation between their two countries in recent years.

They agreed to actively implement commitments of the Bilateral Co-operation Framework, which the two governments signed on November 2002.

The Philippines president said she was happy to visit Viet Nam once again and she greatly valued the host country’s preparations for ASEM 5.

President Luong told Spain’s first deputy prime minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega that he thanked the Spanish government for its support of Viet Nam and requested Spain’s continued help in strengthening Vietnamese relations with the EU. Luong reiterated his invitation for the Spanish King to visit Viet Nam and said he expected to receive the Spanish PM for an official visit next year.

Spain’s first deputy prime minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega spoke highly of Viet Nam’s preparations for ASEM 5, adding the Spanish government would do its utmost to make the meeting successful.

She told Luong that Viet Nam was always a top priority for Spain and reaffirmed Spanish support for Viet Nam’s WTO bid.

The deputy PM said she hoped the two countries would continue to strengthen multilateral ties, especially in the economic, trade, investment, culture and education sectors. She asked Viet Nam to support Spain’s Zaragoza city as the host for the International Exhibition in 2008.

During a meeting with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai asked Juncker to support Viet Nam’s WTO bid and its efforts to expand economic ties with the EU.

Prime Minister Juncker said Luxembourg and Viet Nam needed to boost investment and trade in the coming years.

In a separate meeting with PM Khai Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he highly regarded Viet Nam as the host for ASEM 5 and considered the summit an important event, marking new developments in friendship and co-operation between Asia and Europe.

The two PMs said they were pleased to see their countries’ ministries and sectors have been actively implementing agreements reached in their first duel Cabinet Meeting. They also agreed to hold the second Cabinet Meeting soon.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern told Prime Minister Khai that Ireland planned to set up an office in Ha Noi to regulate development aid. He said he would work to boost investment, commercial and cultural relations, and promised to supported Khai’s proposals.

PM Khai asked the Irish government to create favourable conditions for its businesses to invest in Viet Nam and requested continued support in strengthening Viet Nam and EU trade relations.

The Vietnamese PM also asked for Irish backing of Viet Nam’s WTO bid and for Viet Nam’s non-permanent member status on the United Nation Security Council for the term 2008-2009.

Khai invited the Irish premier for an official visit to Viet Nam.

While meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Indulis Emsis, Prime Minister Khai said they would discuss measures to promote ties between the two nations, particularly in economics and trade.

They agreed that the two sides need to exchange delegations, which would include businesses, to seek possibilities for bilateral economic benefit.

The two PMs also agreed to assign their domestic agencies to research the possibilities of an economic agreement to increase co-operation in tourism, science and technology, culture, and education.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan received British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and discussed measures to boost economic, commercial, and investment co-operation between the two countries.

Deputy PM Khoan thanked the British government for the increase in annual aid to Viet Nam from US$40 million to $100 million beginning in 2005.

Khoan affirmed that Viet Nam has always considered Britain an important partner and was eager to accelerate multilateral co-operation, including new sectors like military engineering, anti-terrorism and illegal immigration.

PM Khoan also asked the British government to support Viet Nam’s bid to join the WTO.

In his separate meeting with U Tin Winn, minister in the Office of the Myanmar Prime Minister and head of the Myanmar delegation for ASEM 5, Deputy PM Khoan congratulated Myanmar for its admission to ASEM during this summit and encouraged Myanmar to actively contribute to ASEM activities.

Deputy PM Khoan said Viet Nam desired success for the national conciliation process and accord in Myanmar, the stabilisation of its politics and the country’s prosperous development. — VNS

French president promises to bolster relations with VN

French President Jacques Chirac pledged to further strengthen relations between France and Viet Nam during talks with Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh on Thursday.
[Full Story]
 http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-10/08/Stories/02.htm 

VN, France sign agreements as President Chirac arrives

Viet Nam and France signed agreements on the Ha Noi tramway system and Airbus aircrafts as French President Jacques Chirac began his visit to the country on the eve of the 5th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 5).
[Full Story]
 http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-10/07/Stories/02.htm 

France’s President Chirac begins visit

French President Jacques Chirac began a two-day official visit to Viet Nam on Wednesday and will attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 5) in Ha Noi.
[Full Story]
 http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/2004-10/06/Stories/02.htm 

Senior officials complete final preparations for ASEM 5 forum

HA NOI — Senior officials of ASEM countries held a meeting ahead of the 5th Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM 5) at Ha Noi, on Wednesday.

The meeting, chaired by Nguyen Trung Thanh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, was attended by representatives from Asia and Europe. The meeting finalised preparations and arrangements for the ASEM 5 summit.

Senior officials discussed and agreed on a list of topics, programmes and drafts of documents to be adopted at the summit.

Thanh thanked ASEM partners for their co-operation in preparing for the summit, especially their co-ordination with Viet Nam in finalising drafts to be adopted at the summit.

The ASEM Infoboard, which provides information on ASEM activities and proceedings, was also officially launched on the occasion. — VNS