Deputy PM Nguyen Tan Dung on outcome of visit to the U.S
Dec. 15 (VNA) -- The most prominent outcome of the recent visit to the Unites States by a Vietnamese Government delegation is that it help promote Viet Nam-U.S. relations, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Mr. Dung granted an interview to a Washington-based Viet Nam News Agency correspondent at the end of his visit to the U.S. from Dec. 9-14.
He said that in meetings with the leaders of the U.S. Government and Congress, business people, scientific workers and students, the delegation reaffirmed Viet Nam's policy to build a relationship of friendship and cooperation with the U.S. These interactions are in the interest of each country and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, on the basis of respect for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality, and mutual benefits.
Viet Nam and the U.S. have agreed to give priority to carrying out the Viet Nam-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) so as to further economic-commercial relations between the two countries, while expanding and strengthening cooperative ties in science-technology, education, environmental protection, and the settlement of humanitarian issues left over from by the war, Deputy PM Dung noted.
He emphasised that Viet Nam had stressed the need for the U.S. to annul the Jackson Vanik Act for Viet Nam, to put an end to the intent to approve the so-called "Viet Nam Human Rights Act," and the bill relating to Viet Nam's catfish. Viet Nam also asked the U.S. not to foster and provide shelter to anti-Viet Nam terrorist groups.
"Viet Nam protests any scheme to abuse democratic, human rights, or religious issues to interfere in internal affairs," stressed Deputy PM Dung. He affirmed the need to narrow disputes and cooperate in settling humanitarian issues left over from the war through dialogue.--VNA
