President Georgi Parvanov of Bulgaria became the first head of state to visit Vietnam in the Year of the Buffalo, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties and enhance cooperation in specific areas.

Parvanov and his host, President Nguyen Minh Triet, discussed concrete measures to develop bilateral ties in the economy, trade and investment, culture, education, healthcare and personnel training.

The visit was marked by the signing of an agreement on legal and judiciary cooperation between the two Justice ministries and another on a program of cultural cooperation for the 2009- 2012 period between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria.

In a press briefing held after the talks, Triet said Bulgarian investors are always welcome in Vietnam, which has positioned itself as a gateway to the Southeast Asian region.

He wished Bulgaria would create favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods to gain footholds in other markets of the European Union.

Parvanov reiterated Bulgaria’s support for Vietnam to sign partnerships treaties with other EU member nations, emphasizing mutual trust as a key factor in broadening bilateral relations.

“Bulgaria has a number of advantages to offer Vietnam, particularly in the pharmaceutical, information technology and tourism industries,” he said.

The two presidents concurred that there has been good development of bilateral relations over the past years, both politically and economically. However, bilateral trade remained modest at about US$80 million last year.

During his visit, Parvanov also held talks with Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi.

Source: VNA