An agreement on visa exemptions for
diplomatic and official passport holders from Viet Nam and El Salvador was
signed in Ha Noi yesterday, March 31, after successful talks between the foreign
ministers of the two countries.

Photo: VOV

During
the talks, Pham Gia Khiem, who doubles as Deputy Prime Minister, and his El
Salvador guest Hugo Martinez Bonilla agreed that the two countries should
further tap their potential in consumer goods production, agriculture, science
and technology, culture, healthcare, education and training, and
telecommunications to scale up currently modest economic relations.

The two
also agreed on mutual assistance to expand El Salvador’s relations with other
countries in Southeast Asia and the same for Viet Nam in Central America.

Khiem
and Bonilla pointed out the need to speed up negotiations and sign a number of
co-operation accords soon in order to lay the foundation for a legal framework
on bilateral relations, especially in economics, trade and investment.

They
said measures should be taken to encourage and create favourable conditions for
businesses from both sides to take a foothold in each other’s markets and
establish direct partnerships.

Host and
guest shared a view on promoting the exchange of delegations at all levels to
deepen political relations, increase mutual understanding and work out measures
for co-operative efficiency.

They
also agreed that the two countries should continue with close co-ordination of
action and mutual assistance in international organisations and multilateral
forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and the Forum of
East Asia and Latin America Co-operation (FEALAC).

The two
foreign ministers highlighted close relations, particularly with Bonilla
inviting Khiem to visit El Salvador, which he accepted with pleasure.

In
addition to the visa exemption agreement, the talks concluded with the signing
of a memorandum of understanding on establishing a reference mechanism between
the two foreign ministries.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News