The Foreign Ministry on December 3 announced that President Nguyen Minh Triet will visit Italy, Spain and Slovakia between December 9-19.

President Nguyen Minh Triet.

The President will discuss each country’s economic development, their efforts to escape from the global financial and economic crisis and measures to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation, especially in economics, trade and investment.

During his time in Italy, the Vietnamese President will meet with Pope Benedict XVI.

Also in December, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will go to Laos to attend the opening ceremony of the 25^th Southeast Asian Games on December 9, to Russia on December 15 and participate in the UN Summit Conference on Climate Change in Denmark from December 16-18.

PV