US-Vietnam relations have experienced a good time of development, said US Ambassador Michael Michalak.

Meeting with the press in Hanoi on August 20 on his first working year in Vietnam, the diplomat stressed that over the last 12 months, Vietnam and the US exchanged a number of visits by governmental, parliamentary and trade delegations.

During Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the US in June at the invitation of President George W. Bush, the two leaders agreed to place importance on economic and trade relations. The two sides also signed important cooperation agreements on education and climate changes.

He expressed his pleasure at the growing bilateral trade in the first half of 2008, which exceeded the US$12.53 billion level made in 2007. Remarkably, US export value to Vietnam during the period reached US$1.61 billion. US investment in Vietnam strongly developed, he said.

Thanks to an education agreement signed during the Vietnamese PM’s tour of the US, a bilateral committee on education will be set up to expand cooperation between the two countries in the field as well as assist more Vietnamese students to study in the US, the diplomat said.

Regarding joint efforts in dealing with Agent Orange/Dioxin, the ambassador revealed that a US$3 million project on overcoming the environment and health will be started in the next two or three weeks. He also talked about the need of mine clearance.

Ambassador Michalak hailed Vietnam’s success at the UNSC which helps to increase the country’s role and prestige in the world arena. (VNA)