Enhancing VN-Switzerland ties
VGP – During his official visit to Việt Nam, Swiss President Pascal Couchepin on August 4 had separate meetings and talks with Party leader Nông Đức Mạnh, State President Nguyễn Minh Triết, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and NA Chairman Nguyễn Phú Trọng.
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President Pascal Couchepin meets Party leader Nông Đức Mạnh - Photo: VGP |
All the Vietnamese leaders appreciated Switzerland's assistance to Việt Nam’s struggle for national reunification in the past and the cause of national construction at present as well.
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President Pascal Couchepin and State President Nguyễn Minh Triết in talks - Photo: VGP |
Party leader Nông Đức Mạnh stressed that, the visit made by President Pascal Couchepin will help strengthen traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Việt Nam and Switzerland in the time to come.
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President Pascal Couchepin in meeting with PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng - Photo: VGP |
Meeting with President Pascal Couchepin in the afternoon of August 4, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng expected that Switzerland will early recognize Việt Nam’s market economy as well as facilitate the entrance of Vietnamese agricultural and marine products, garment and textiles. The host also asked the Swiss Government to encourage its enterprises to do investment in Việt Nam and continue to give ODA to Việt Nam’s poverty reduction, healthcare and human resource training.
In all his encounters with Vietnamese leaders, President Pascal Couchepin always stated that Switzerland considers Việt Nam one of its important Asian partners. As a giant in terms of economics, science and education, stressed the President, Switzerland wants to closely work with and assist Việt Nam in these fields.
The guest pledged to enable Việt Nam's goods to penetrate into Swiss market. He also reiterated that the recent signing of several cooperation agreements between the universities of the two countries is a vivid evidence for the good cooperation in education.
On the occasion of the Swiss head of state’s visit, the leaders of the two countries issued a joint statement confirming their determination to consolidate and strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields.
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President Pascal Couchepin visits General Võ Nguyyên Giáp - Photo: VOV |
Paying a visit to General Võ Nguyên Giáp in the afternoon, President Pascal Couchepin stated that his country and he himself have learnt a lot from Việt Nam and the General.
General Giáp extended his deep sentiments to Swiss people and wished that the bilateral relationship between the two countries will be further promoted.
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Việt Nam is one of Switzerland's important partners in Southeast Asia. Up to now, Switzerland's ODA has been disbursed around US $95.6 million in total. Within the first six months of 2008, the two-way trade turnover reached US $1.84 billion. Switzerland ranks 5th among the biggest European Union investors in Việt Nam. |
By Phùng Lợi
