Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Hungarian counterpart Bajnai Gordon have affirmed aims to develop stable, long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.

High-level talks between Vietnam and Hungary in Budapest

Now they’ve agreed to give priority to boosting trade and investment cooperation to increase two-way trade annually.

New measures include examining implementation of signed agreements aimed at laying a legal foundation for bilateral cooperation. They also agreed to improve conditions for businesses to meet and explore investment opportunities in each other’s markets.

Both agreed the signing of cooperation documents during the visit, including those on finance, migration, consular and nationality-related affairs, energy and nuclear research will help improve future relations.

They pledged detailed plans for the upcoming third session of the Vietnam-Hungary Inter-Government Committee due to take place in Budapest in December 2009 as well as activities to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2010.

Dung thanked the Hungarian government and people for providing assistance to Vietnamese people in the past struggle for national independence and liberation and in the current process of national construction. He expressed hope that the Hungarian government will continue to support Vietnamese nationals in integrating well into local communities.

Meanwhile, PM Gordon spoke highly of the Vietnamese Government’s efforts to weather the global financial storm. He reiterated the desire to promote all-round cooperation with Vietnam, especially in trade and investment. He also expressed hope that Vietnam will help Hungary to develop ties with other countries in Southeast Asia.

He added that Hungary considers Vietnam a priority partner in its development aid policy and that his government will soon consider providing non-refundable aid to address environmental problems in Vietnam.

He voiced his support for recognising Vietnam’s market economy status and opposed the imposition of anti-dumping tariffs on Vietnamese leather capped shoes imported into the European Union.

Finally, Dung invited Mr Gordon to visit Vietnam and the invitation was accepted.

VietNamNet/VOV