Deals may be signed during Vietnamese president's visit to United States
24/5/2007 16:51
The United States and Vietnam are making preparations for the upcoming
visit of Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet to Washington, during
which potential "bilateral arrangements on commercial, economic, political and
cultural issues"may be signed, a US diplomat said in Hanoi Thursday.
The two
countries are discussing necessary preparations, including the possibility of
making and signing bilateral arrangements during the trip, Christopher Hill, US
assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said at a press
briefing here, noting that visits by any Vietnamese senior officials to his
country are real opportunities to highlight Vietnam's achievements, especially
its success in economic development.
"I think the US-Vietnam relations have
been growing successfully in trade and economics," Hill said, stating that they
will grow further after Vietnam's official accession to the World Trade
Organization early this year.
Hill said that during meetings with Triet,
Vietnamese Chairman of the Government Office Doan Manh Giao, and Vietnamese
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Van Bang yesterday, the two sides
extensively and intensively discussed many aspects of their bilateral relations,
including issues relating to economic cooperation and human rights situations in
Vietnam.
Late last month, US ambassador to Vietnam, Michael Marine, told
reporters that during Triet's visit expected this year, the two sides may touch
upon specific measures to make the bilateral relations more substantial,
including those to facilitate negotiations on a trade and investment framework
agreement (TIFA), a platform on which the two countries will work to further
strengthen their trade and investment ties, and eventually reach the framework
agreement.
"We have provided the Vietnamese side with documents (about the
future TIFA), and are waiting for Vietnam's response," the ambassador said,
noting that the two-way trade was US$9.7 billion in 2006, and that the United
States was Vietnam's biggest export market.
Xinhua
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