Socialist Republic of Vietnam

President Tran Duc Luong visits DPR of Korea from May 2, 2002. At the talks with President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK Kim Yong Nam on May 3rd, President Tran Duc Luong welcomed the results of the historic summit between the two Koreas in June 2000 as well as recent moves toward pushing up dialogue and consolidating peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

During the talks, President Luong and President Kim informed each other of the situation in their respective countries and discussed orientations and measures to bolster the friendship and multi-form co-operation between Vietnam and the DPRK in the first years of the 21st century. They also compared notes on regional and international issues of common concern.

President Luong expressed profound sympathy over current economic difficulties faced by the Korean people and informed the host that the Vietnamese government has decided to donate 5,000 tonnes of rice to the DPRK's people to help them overcome severe aftermaths caused by recent consecutive natural calamities.

To reach that goal, the two presidents emphasised the importance of exchanging visits by delegations at all levels. They agreed to major orientations aiming at expanding bilateral co-operation in politics, economy, science-technology, investment, commerce, education, health care, sports and tourism to a level commensurate with the potential and conditions of the two nations.

The two presidents said they highly appreciated the signing of agreements during the visit. They agreed to find out proper co-operation forms to tap available potentials in industry, agriculture, farm produce processing, mechanical engineering, ship building and repair, construction and transport.

The two sides will actively accelerate the exchange of new items, focusing on goods barter to expand trade ties between the two countries.

President Luong and President Kim were unanimous in boosting operations of the Inter-governmental Committee for economic, scientific and technological co-operation, thus ensuring effective co-operation between the two nations.

Discussing regional and international issues, the two presidents expressed their wish to strengthen bilateral co-ordination in international forums, making contributions to international efforts for peace, stability and co-operation for development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole.

President Kim Yong Nam said he highly appreciated Vietnam's role toward peace, stability and co-operation in the region and the world.

The same day, President Tran Duc Luong of Vietnam met Chairman of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Supreme People's Assembly Choi Thae Boc.

Both host and guest expressed their joy at the fruitful development of bilateral relations between Vietnam and the DPRK, including those between the two legislative bodies, in the recent past.

Chairman Choi expressed his admiration for the Vietnamese people's past struggle for national independence and their present national industrialisation and modernisation. He also noted that with its recent socio-economic achievements, Vietnam's prestige in the international and regional arena had been improved.

President Luong's visit to the DPRK was described by the DPRK leader as an opportunity for the two countries to take bilateral traditional ties between the two States, National Assemblies and peoples to a new height of development.

The Vietnamese leader took this occasion to express sincere thanks to the DPRK for its support and precious assistance to Vietnam in its past struggle for national independence and liberation as well as its present socialism building.

After briefing his host of Vietnam's preparations for the coming election of the 11th National Assembly, President Luong said he hoped that the two countries' top legislative bodies would further exchange experiences and find out measures to step up bilateral co-operation, including the establishment of Parliamentary Friendship Associations in their respective National Assemblies.

President Tran Duc Luong began his official four-day visit to the DPRK on May 2 as guest of President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK Kim Yong Nam.

The same day, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, who accompanies President Luong on the current DPRK visit, met his DPRK counterpart Paek Nam Sun to discuss measures to boost co-operation between the two foreign ministries in order to implement high-level accords signed between the two countries with a view to further promoting their friendship and co-operation.

The two ministers were pleased at the close co-operation between their ministries, not only helping to develop bilateral ties but also supporting each other during multilateral international and regional forums in recent years. They agreed to continue promoting their co-operation, especially enhancing the exchange of information, experience, and visits. They also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Foreign Minister Nien invited Minister Paek Nam Sun to visit Vietnam. The invitation was accepted with pleasure. (VNA)

Vietnam, DPRK sign important economic accords


Vietnam and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) signed in Pyongyang on May 3 a number of important economic co-operation agreements.

These are an agreement on investment encouragement and protection, an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, an agreement on marine transportation, an agreement on judicial assistance, a trade agreement and an accord on goods exchange.

The signing of these documents took place right after talks held between Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong and President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK Kim Yong Nam.