Premier's visit to Vietnam boost multifaceted ties

by Seelaratna Senarath reporting from Vietnam

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and Vietnamese leaders agreed to boost their nations' multifaceted ties during the first visit to the country by a Sri Lankan premier in nearly 30 years.

At the Presidential Palace, Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet talked with the guests including Chamal Rajapaksa, the Minister of Agricultural Development expressing his delight to have a Sri Lankan premier visiting the country.

President Triet said, the Vietnamese people and the Government appreciated the efforts of the Sri Lankan government to ensure the sustainable stability for its people. He also said, Vietnam would fully support Sri Lanka's policy on expanding further co-operation with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Premier, Wickramanayaka thanked the Vietnam President for the warm welcome the Sri Lankan delegation received from the people and their leaders. He also congratulated Vietnam on its successful organisation of the 14th APEC leaders meeting and its marked economic revival. Wickramanayaka said his country would always welcome the Vietnamese business community seeking opportunities to do business or invest in Sri Lanka. He also said Sri Lankan enterprises would very much like to come to Vietnam for investment and business opportunities.

At the Government Office the Premier had talks with the premier of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung in which the two agreed to increase bilateral cooperation based on the existing strong political relationship between the two countries.

The two Prime Ministers said they appreciated the potential for co-operation of the two countries and agreed to particularly promote effectiveness of co-operation in sectors including trade investment, agriculture industry education and training.

Tourism culture and creating favourable condition for Buddhist groups to extend co-operation were also high on the agenda for upcoming co-operation. Two countries also agreed to expand visits of senior official experts and others at provincial sectoral and local levels in order to improve mutual understanding in all aspects.

Both Prime Ministers expressed their pleasure in assisting each other in regional and international forums including Sri Lanka's support for Vitenam's support for Sri Lanka's dialogue partnership with Asian.

'Prime Minister Dung also took the opportunity to thank the SRi Lankan people for supporting the Vietnamese people during their struggle for national liberation in the past as well as during the country's recent rebuilding period.

Vietnamese Premier said that Wickramanayaka's official visit would further contribute to the long-time friendship of the Vietnamese and Sri Lankans who achieved numerous accomplishments in national reconciliation and in economic development.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake expressed his hope that Vietnam would soon open a representative office in Sri Lanka to accelerate bilateral co-operation.

After the talks the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural co-operation.

Minister Chamal Rajapaksa signed the memorandum on behalf Sri Lanka.

Premier Wickremanayaka also visited the Vietnam Buddhist Institute in a suburb of HANOI where he highlighted the systematic study of the religion and his hope for an expanded relationship with Buddhist followers, nuns and monks.