Vietnam hopes for closer cooperation with India



Ha Noi, Nov. 7 (VNA) -- Vietnamese leaders have expressed their hope for further development of the cooperation between Viet Nam and India in economics, science-technology, trade and education.

In separate receptions to Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh in Ha Noi on Nov. 7, President Tran Duc Luong and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai highlighted fine development of the traditional relations between the two countries. They highly appreciated the goodwill of the Indian Government and people in supporting and assisting the Vietnamese people in the past strugle for national liberation and cooperating in the latter's national construction at present.

President Luong said the results of the two Foreign Ministers' talks marked positive development in the implementation of two countries' agreements.

Talking with the Indian FM, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai thanked the Indian Government for granting Viet Nam preferential credits to help it build an information technology (IT) development centre. He said he wished that India would help Viet Nam train staff in the IT and bio-technology.

He welcomed India's policy of independence, sovereignty, and non-alignedment. He also spoke highly of India's successes in economic reform and science-technology.

For his part, FM Singh renewed his country's willingness to cooperate with and help Viet Nam in IT, bio-technology, human resource development, especially to raise two-way trade for mutual benefits.

President Luong and PM Khai asked Foreign Minister Singh to convey their invitations to their Indian counterparts, R. K. Narayanan and Atal Behari Vajpayee, respectively, to visit Viet Nam.