Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Vietnam needs to take advantage of the chance to enter the World Trade Organization to accelerate its economic reforms, the U.S. State Department’s No. 2 figure said May 6 during his visit to Vietnam.
WTO accession will give a boost to Vietnam’s economic reforms as it helps facilitate investment and business, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick told a news conference in Hanoi.

He said if Vietnam liberated the services sector, an adequate infrastructure would be established to help develop the economy.

“Vietnam has done a tremendous amount of work in a very short time," he said, but "it can't rest because, as part of the global economy, it is competing with other countries.”

Full support

Mr. Zoellick said Vietnam and the U.S. had conducted debates over Vietnam’s admission to the WTO, its investment and business climates and other issues.

He said one of the most important messages he wanted to send to Vietnamese leaders was that the U.S. provided strong and firm support to Vietnam’s bid to join the WTO.

U.S. and Vietnamese negotiators will soon meet to conduct bilateral talks over services, goods and insurance, said Mr. Zeollick.

It will be a big job, but the U.S. pledges to speed up progress as quickly as possible, he confirmed.

Multilateral negotiations are set for later this month in Geneva. Vietnam also has to strike bilateral agreements with other WTO members including Japan and China.

Vietnamese PM’s U.S. visit

Mr. Zoellick added that he had also sent U.S. President George W. Bush’s invitation to Vietnam’s Prime Minister Phan Van Khai to visit the U.S. on June 21.

Apart from President Bush, PM Khai will also meet other U.S. government officials like the state secretary, he said.

The U.S. will work with Vietnam to plan a working schedule for PM Khai’s visit, said Mr. Zoellick.

“It is a special opportunity,” as the two countries will mark the 10th anniversary of normalization of relations in July, he said.

Mr. Zoellick said the two countries had a firm foundation to establish a more comprehensive relationship.

"There are, of course, challenges in the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship because of history," he said, referring to the Vietnam War which ended 30 years ago. But “I hope the relationship will continue to press on at a fast pace," Mr. Zoellick added.

Reported by Xuan Danh – Translated by Hieu Trung.
Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 06 May, 2005, 21:29:22 (GMT+7)
Copyright Thanh Nien News