Vietnam News Agency (VNA)

Vietnamese, UK Prime Ministers hold talks

06/03/2008 -- 11:03 AM

London (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged to enhance multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries on the basis of a progressive partnership during their talks in London on March 5.

The two PMs informed each other of the situation in their respective countries and exchanged views on regional and international matters of common concern.

PM Dung expressed his pleasure at the positive development of the two countries’ friendship and cooperation over the recent past, especially in economy, trade and investment. The two countries’ trade value reached almost 1.7 billion USD in 2007, a 21 percent increase over 2006, making the UK Viet Nam’s fourth largest EU trade partner. The UK now has 100 valid investment projects in Viet Nam , with a total direct investment of nearly 1.5 billion USD, ranking third among EU investors in the country.

The PM thanked the British government and people for the marked increase of their official development assistance for Viet Nam , making the UK the largest grant donor to Viet Nam among EU member countries.

He welcomed many major British groups to expand business and investment in Viet Nam and informed that the Vietnamese government has permitted HSBC and Standard Chartered to set up wholly foreign owned subsidiary banks in Viet Nam in line with Viet Nam ’s commitment to the WTO.

The PM affirmed that Viet Nam will continue to accelerate economic reform, open the financial and banking sector, speed up the equitisation of State own enterprises and strictly implement the country’s WTO commitments. Viet Nam highly values British businesses and creates favourable conditions for them to do business in Viet Nam , he said.

PM Dung highly appreciated the two countries’ cooperative activities in education and training, one of the cooperation areas receiving top priority in the coming period. He welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two governments to promote educational links and the cooperation among universities as well as in the training of university teachers and teachers of English, the enhancement of the English teaching capacity in Viet Nam and in scientific research.

The PM thanked the British government for its support of Viet Nam’s non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council in the 2008-2009 term; agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries in the Security Council as well as on international and regional forums; and praised the singing of a cooperation agreement between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries to promote political cooperation and dialogue in the coming period. He thanked the UK for its support of Viet Nam in enhancing comprehensive cooperation with the EU.

PM Brown applauded PM Dung’s visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland and spoke highly of the achievements Viet Nam has made during the country’s renewal process, which makes Viet Nam a leading country in implementing the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The UK PM committed to giving continued assistance to Viet Nam in poverty reduction. He also welcomed Viet Nam’s support to the “MDG Call to Action” launched by him and the UN Secretary General and highly appreciated Viet Nam’s host of the international summit on the One UN Initiative in late 2008.

PM Gordon Brown expressed his pleasure at the growing multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries over the recent past, stressing that bilateral ties are experiencing the greatest ever development. He also congratulated Viet Nam on being elected a UN Security Council non-permanent member, affirming that the UK attaches importance to Viet Nam ’s role and position in the region and the world at large. The PM suggested the two countries increase cooperation and exchanges at the UNSC as well as in international and regional multilateral forums.

PM Brown said he was for stronger bilateral cooperation in education and training and highly appreciated two countries’ signing of a governmental-level agreement in the field. He also pledged to help boost English language training in Viet Nam , through providing training for English teachers at secondary schools, and increasing assistance to disadvantaged students.

The UK leader affirmed that Viet Nam is one of the UK ’s 17 important trade partners and praised the signing of agreements and economic contracts between the two countries’ enterprises during PM Dung’s visit.

Regarding the Viet Nam government’s approval to HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank to set up wholly-foreign owned banks in Viet Nam , PM Brown said it is Viet Nam ’s clear and strong message to the UK investment and financial circle. The UK will encourage and create favourable conditions for UK businesses to invest and operate in Viet Nam , he said.

PM Brown also put emphasis on bilateral cooperation in migration and fighting human trafficking and organisational crimes, suggesting that Viet Nam and UK should work more closely to facilitate and encourage legal migration in order to strengthen bilateral trade, education and tourism.

The UK PM spoke highly of PM Dung’s visit, particularly the results it brought in economic, trade, investment and education and training cooperation.

The two PMs agreed to maintain high-ranking visits and exchanges in the coming time.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung invited his counterpart to pay an official visit to Viet Nam in the near future and PM Gordon Brown accepted the invitation.

The two PMs issued a joint statement at the end of their talks, pledging to lift multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries to a new level on the basis of a progressive partnership.

Earlier, PM Dung witnessed the signing of political and education cooperation agreements between the two countries and a UK assistance plan to Viet Nam for the 2008-2011 period.-Enditem

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