Colombo - Viet Nam and Sri Lanka have agreed to strive for one
billion USD in two-way trade in the years to come.
The two sides reached the consensus during
talks between Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang and his Sri Lankan
counterpart, Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo yesterday during a three-day
State-level visit to Sri Lanka.
President Sang said that Viet Nam and Sri
Lanka have always supported each other in their respective struggles for
national independence in the past as well as in the current period of national
development. He expressed his belief that the visit will help further
strengthen the friendship and co-operation between the two nations.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa informed his guest
of the country's situation, saying that after a 30-year civil war, Sri Lanka
has attained peace and political stability as well as completed the process of
national reconciliation.
Sri Lanka has set a target of becoming a
middle-income country by 2016 and a maritime and aviation centre linking the
Middle East and Asia, he said.
The two leaders expressed their joy at the
development of bilateral relations since the two countries set up diplomatic
ties in 1970.
They agreed that the re-opening of the
Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka in April 2011 and the signing of eight
co-operative agreements between the two sides' ministries and agencies during
this visit are vivid manifestations of an aspiration to further strengthen
bilateral ties.
The two sides expressed determination to
promote existing potential for co-operation in all fields towards the building
of a comprehensive partnership between Viet Nam and Sri Lanka.
The leaders also spoke highly of the two
countries' close co-ordination at regional and international forums, especially
the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the South-South Co-operation, the
Colombo Plan, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
On the occasion, the Sri Lankan President
recognised Viet Nam as a market economy and affirmed support for the country's
bid to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2013-2016 term.
The two sides affirmed a wish and determination
to boost co-operation in the interest of the two countries' people as well as
for peace and stability in the region and the world at large.
After the talks, the Vietnamese and Sri Lankan
presidents witnessed the signing of co-operative documents between their
relevant ministries and agencies, including memoranda of understanding on
machinery manufacturing, defence co-operation, bilateral political
consultations, financial co-operation and investment encouragement
co-operation.
An agreement on educational co-operation, a
MoU on oil and gas co-operation and a Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group
(PetroVietnam) oil sale contract were also signed.
On the same day, President Truong Tan Sang
attended the Sri Lanka-Viet Nam Enterprises Forum, which created an opportunity
for businesses to access information on the investment environment and policies
of the two countries.
Many enterprises reported that the
export-import turnover between Sri Lanka and Viet Nam remained modest, though
it had been increasing steadily every year, reaching about US$93 million in
2010.
Enterprises also commented that there was
significant untapped potential between the two countries in the fields of
petroleum, telecommunications, agriculture, construction and tourism.
Speaking at the forum, Sang affirmed that
sustainable development was Viet Nam's prioritised target in the next ten
years. The nation would focus on stabilising its macro-economy and on
restructuring and renewing the model of economic growth, in order to improve
its competitiveness in the international economy in the upcoming years.
Sang stressed that a number of agreements on
enhancing two-way investment promotion and trade signed during the working
visit would create new opportunities for co-operation between the business
communities of the two countries.
On Thurday, President Sang granted an
interview with the Daily Financial Times.
He said that through his first visit to South
Asia, Viet Nam wanted to further promote friendly co-operation with countries
in the region, including Sri Lanka.
The visit was also an opportunity to increase
in-depth discussions regarding peace and development co-operation in the region
and the world, he said.
The News Desk in Colombo/Viet Nam News | ANN
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