Vietnam and Turkey need to step up efforts to
boost bilateral ties as there is great potential for co-operation in economics,
education and training, science and technology between the two countries.

Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement while receiving outgoing Turkish
Ambassador Ates Oktem in Ha Noi yesterday, May 17. The Government leader spoke
highly of the Ambassador’s contributions to developing the Vietnam-Turkish
friendship and co-operation during his term of office.

The
Turkish Ambassador said that during his time in office, relations between Viet
Nam and Turkey had strengthened, with two-way trade reaching US$850 million in
2010.

The two
sides are currently completing the signing of investment encouragement and
double taxation avoidance agreements, which are expected to accelerate trade and
investment between Viet Nam and Turkey, he added.

Yesterday, President Nguyen Minh Triet and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Pham Gia Khiem also received the Turkish Ambassador.

*
Politburo member receives top Indian lawmaker

Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party
of Viet Nam Central Committee Truong Tan Sang yesterday received the Indian
Lower House Speaker Meira Kumar.

He used
the occasion to affirm that India had Vietnam’s backing in its bid to become a
permanent member of the UN Security Council when the council was expanded. At
the same time, he said he believed India would excel in fulfilling its tasks as
a UNSC non-permanent member in the 2011-2012 term.

Kumar
responded saying the Indian government and parliament would do their utmost,
together with Viet Nam, to boost the strategic partnership between the two
countries. This included accelerating the partnership’s effectiveness and
ensuring it matched the interest of the two peoples.

She also
affirmed that as part of its “Look East” policy, India continued to attach
importance to developing ties with ASEAN, especially Viet Nam.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News