From June 15-26, 2008, a delegation of the Vietnam National Assembly, led by Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong paid official visits to four European countries, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and France. Chairman Trong had an interview with the press after the visit.

Q: What are the fundamental results the Vietnam National Assembly delegation has achieved through the visits?

A: The visits are all successful. We have completed all the activities scheduled in the visits’ agenda. Some activities were more successful than expected. The visits left good impressions among international friends, and helped promote new developments in external affairs of the National Assembly.

From the political point of view, the concerned parties agreed that France and three Eastern European countries are Vietnam’s friends with long traditional friendship and co-operative ties. They are members of the European Union while Vietnam is a member of the ASEAN, so the parties concentrated on discussing bilateral and multi-lateral relationship. We affirmed that they are important partners of Vietnam during the new period, particulary France, which play an important role in the EU.  

The countries, in turn, spoke highly of the great achievements recorded by Vietnam during its renovation process. They said they considered Vietnam an important partner, a large market with great business opportunities. We and the four countries agreed to raise traditional relationships to a new height. Some countries have expressed their support for more comprehensive ties between Vietnam and the EU. Romania said it had recognised Vietnam a market economy while Hungary agreed and said it would meet Vietnam’s proposals.

Regarding co-operation between the Vietnam National Assembly with assemblies in the four countries, we signed co-operation agreements with them. Bulgaria alone proposed the signing of a joint communiqué. The signing of co-operation agreements between the Vietnam National Assembly and France and Hungary is unprecedented. We agreed with the friends on concrete measures to promote co-operation in legislation. It is an important result, creating favourable conditions and legal basis for us to promote co-operation in legislation with agencies of their national assemblies.

Talks took place in an open and friendly atmosphere. The four countries said they wish to promote co-operative ties with Vietnam and through Vietnam they would be able to enter the ASEAN market. We, in turn, wish to promote co-operative ties with the countries for a better access to the European market of great potential.

The visits helped Vietnamese overseas, particular those in France and Hungary, have better understanding of their homeland’s situation and activities of the National Assembly. The visits were opportunities for us to exchange and give information about Vietnam’s policies towards Vietnamese overseas. The meetings with Vietnamese overseas were very moved. Through the meetings, we have understood that we should provide more care for Vietnamese overseas affairs with concrete measures to provide information and remove difficulties and obstacles, thus creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese overseas to contribute to the construction of their homeland, encouraging them to follow local laws and policies, and making further contribution to the countries’ socio-economic development.

Attending the visits were also enterprises. Some important contracts and agreements were signed during the visits. Vietnamese enterprises had good opportunities to learn about the markets and seek information about partners. The participation of enterprises in the visits is a message to the countries, especially Eastern European countries, that Vietnamese enterprises pay careful attention to the traditional markets. Apart from promoting political co-operation, we expressed our wish to boost economic and trade ties.

Q: What will the Vietnam National Assembly do to implement the signed co-operation agreements?

A: An effective implementation of signed co-operation ties is a common wish shared by Vietnam and the four countries. The Committee for External Affairs and the National Assembly Office have been asked to develop programmes and plans with concrete roadmaps for the implementation of the agreements. During the implementation of the agreements, there should be proper guidelines and plans, so as to raise external relations between Vietnam and the four countries to new heights, in particular national assembly co-operation.

Q: There is an opinion that the visits aim to resume Vietnam’s traditional friendship and co-operative ties with three Eastern European countries?

A: In most talks, we and the three countries’ leaders mentioned this issue. Clearly, after years of economic transition, relationship between Vietnam and the countries witnessed an interruption. It is time for us to promote co-operative ties in all fields. For the Vietnamese side, it is time for us to give more attention to boosting ties with Eastern European and other traditional friends. This is in line with Vietnam’s external policies, which stress an open external relationship on a basis of independence, multi-lateralisation and diversification. Vietnam is ready to be a reliable friend and partner of all countries in the international community for peace, stability and development.

Reported by Hong Thanh