Viet Nam has made boosting friendly relations with India a top
priority, said Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu
Trong.

Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong receives the Indian Lok Sabha (House of the People), led by speaker Meira Kumar. (Photo: VNS)

Trong made the
statement while receiving a delegation from the Indian Lok Sabha (House of the
People), led by speaker Meira Kumar yesterday, May 16.

Trong hailed the
speaker’s visit, which he said would boost Vietnamese-Indian relations.

At the meeting, he
agreed with Kumar about the need to further strengthen relations on politics,
the economy, culture and education and training.

On relations between
the countries’ two national assemblies, he suggested both sides sign
co-operation agreements and increase the number of official exchange visits.

Trong spoke of
India’s importance in the region and affirmed Viet Nam’s increasing support.

Trong said he was
pleased with how relations between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and India’s
political parties had developed.

Kumar said India
always attached great importance to developing relations with ASEAN, and
particularly Viet Nam.

She thanked the
Vietnamese Government for its support on regional and international forums.

However, she said
there was room for further development of Viet Nam-India relations.

Last year bilateral
trade turnover reached US$2.7 billion.

She said the two
countries needed to create favourable conditions for business.

Kumar pointed out
that Viet Nam and India had firm relations with regard to national defence,
culture and education.

She added that the
two countries should establish foreign language training centres. She also said
she hoped the two countries co-operated more fully on IT and that she would like
to see an Indian cultural centre open in Viet Nam.

Kumar said India
planned to offer more educational scholarships to Vietnamese students.

She also suggested
that Viet Nam open direct flights to India, which she said would boost
relations, economic co-operation, investment and tourism in the two countries.

Later Kumar held a
press conference in which she discussed economic development in Viet Nam.

She said Viet Nam was
an important pillar in India’s “Look East” policy.

In response to a
reporter’s question on strategic relations between India and Viet Nam, the
speaker said Lok Sabha was committed to strengthening relations with Viet Nam.

President Nguyen Minh
Triet later met Kumar. He said Viet Nam wanted to strengthen and expand friendly
relations and co-operation with its Asian partner.

The President
emphasised that Vietnamese-Indian relations were long-standing and firm.

He called on India to
help build peace and prosperity in the region and the world in general.

Kumar meanwhile said
she highly valued Viet Nam’s important role in ASEAN and Asia. She expressed
admiration for Viet Nam’s achievements in socio-economic development, poverty
alleviation and education.

Meeting with
PM

Prime Minister Nguyen
Tan Dung said he was glad to see how Vietnamese and Indian relations had grown
over the years, during a meeting with Indian House Speaker Meira Kumar.

Dung said Viet Nam
wished to work closely with India to bring relations to a new height.

He said the Speaker’s
visit marked an important landmark in diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and
India.

Viet Nam is always
looking to strengthen relations in various fields with India, the Prime Minister
said.

He said the country
had always supported India’s bid to become a permanent member of the United
Nations Security Council. It said India also had an important role to play as a
bridge with ASEAN.

He said the two sides
needed to boost co-operation on trade and investment. He also said there should
be direct air flights between the two countries.

The Prime Minister
said he would like the Indian Government to grant more scholarships to
Vietnamese students, as well as additional official development assistance.

Meanwhile, Kumar said
India wished to boost relations and co-operation with Viet Nam.

She said that since
the two countries had raised their relations to a strategic level there had been
greater co-operation in science and technology, culture, society, foreign
affairs, national defence and security.

The two sides had
also effectively co-ordinated in international forums, the speaker said.

Kumar also met
chairperson of the HCM City People’s Council Pham Phuong Thao yesterday, May 16.

Welcoming the speaker
in HCM City, Thao said she believed Kumar’s visit would contribute to
strengthening and deepening traditional friendly relations and co-operation
between Viet Nam and India.

She said Kumar’s
visit would also contribute to boosting relations between the two countries’
national assemblies and co-operation programmes, exchanges and training of
legislative officials.

Kumar said
co-operation between HCM City with Kolkata and other Indian provinces would go
from strength to strength.

During her four-day
visit to Viet Nam, which ends today, Kumar will also meet representatives of the
Indian Business Association and Indian expats in HCM City.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News