Singapore's President left Ha Noi for Ho Chi Minh city


Ha Noi, Feb. 9 (VNA) -- Singapore's President S.R. Nathan, who began an official friendship visit to Viet Nam on Feb. 7, left Ha Noi morning, Feb. 9, for Ho Chi Minh City.

The President, his wife and entourage were given a farewell party at the Presidential Palace and seen off by President Tran Duc Luong and his wife, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, Presidential Office Director Nguyen Canh Dinh, Ha Noi People's Committee Chairman Hoang Van Nghien and other senior officials.

President S.R. Nathan said he was delighted with the results of his talks with senior Vietnamese officials and his country's great attachment to the development of the Viet Nam-Singapore relationship.

He said his country attached importance to Viet Nam's cooperation and stressed his hope that the two countries would continue their close cooperation.

He affirmed that Singapore would help Viet Nam develop human resources and train information technology experts.

President Luong said that it was his desire that the two States and peoples show the importance they attached to the development of both traditional relations between both countries as well as their roles in building a fine relationship within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Singaporean delegation was received by Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Chairman Vo Viet Thanh this afternoon.

Chairman Thanh thanked Singapore for its help to the city with education, cultural studies and human resources development. He affirmed that the city's administrators would welcome and create favourable conditions for Singaporean entrepreneurs.

President S.R. Nathan said he believed that his country's entrepreneurs would find more opportunities to do business and increase their investment in the city. This would contribute to the prosperity of Viet Nam and Singapore and deepen bilateral cooperation.--VNA