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The Czech Republic will continue to create good conditions for more than 50,000 overseas Vietnamese residing and working in the country, said visiting Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek during talks with his Vietnamese counterpart after the official welcome ceremony on March 21.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung warmly welcomed the visit by Mr Topolanek and his entourage to Vietnam, saying this is a significant event reflecting the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
During talks, the two leaders compared notes on the situation in each country, discussed issues relating to bilateral ties and worked out measures to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the fields of economics, trade, investment, education, labour export and agriculture.
They also exchanged views about issues of regional and international concern and agreed to boost cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations.
They said that the Czech Republic's Presidency over the Council of the European Union (EU) in 2009 and Vietnam's non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council will create more favourable conditions for both countries to foster bilateral and multilateral cooperation in various fields. Vietnam wants the Czech Republic to support Vietnam's establishing comprehensive relations with the EU, while the Czech Republic wants Vietnam to function as a bridge to its developing relations with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other countries in the region. Both Vietnam and the Czech Republic focus on promoting the effectiveness of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the cooperation between the EU and ASEAN.
PM Dung expressed his pleasure at the Czech people's substantial achievements in their national construction, as well as the Czech Republic's increasing role in Europe and the international arena. Mr Dung also thanked the Czech Republic for providing support and financial assistance for Vietnam and regarding Vietnam as a key partner in its official development assistance (ODA) policy.
He also affirmed Vietnam's open external policy and said that Vietnam always attaches importance to boosting the relations of traditional friendship and cooperation with the Czech Republic and other European countries.
For his part, PM Mirek Topolanek said that the Czech Republic wants to expand long-term cooperation with Vietnam, especially in construction material production, mining and environmental sectors.
The two PMs shared the view that Vietnam-Czech economic and trade relations have been developed to a higher level with a rapid increase in two-way trade turnover. However, they said this has not yet fully tapped the potential of both countries.
They stressed that it is essential to renew activities of the Inter-Governmental Cooperation Committee in the coming time. Ministries, economic sectors and businesses of the two countries should boost cooperation and exchange information to explore potential and make use of advantages of both the countries in order to increase trade turnover and promote investment cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, aviation and health care.
Both sides also paid special attention to the implementation of projects worth billions of US dollars which were previously signed during recent high-ranking meetings between the two countries.
After talks, the two PMs met media workers and witnessed the signing of the Protocol between Vietnam and the Czech Republic on the amendment to the agreement on investment promotion and protection previously signed on November 25, 1997, the agreement on education cooperation between Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training and the Czech Republic's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in the 2008-2011 period.
In the afternoon, the Czech PM met with Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People's Committee Nguyen The Thao before attending the Vietnam-Czech Business Forum and visiting the Coal and Mineral Group.
Later in the evening, PM Dung gave a banquet in honour of the Czech PM and his entourage.
(CPV/VOVNEWS)
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