NA Chairman vows to strengthen relations with Belarus

Minsk (VNA) - The National Assembly and people of Vietnam will try their best to
nurture and further develop their traditional good ties with Belarus , said NA
Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

When meeting with the Belorussian President, Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on
April 30, Chairman Trong underlined their time-honoured relationship and close
connections as a firm foundation for developing the friendship between the two
nations despite the long distance between them.

The Vietnamese people will never forget the support and valuable assistance from
the Government and people of Belarus during their past struggle for national
independence as well as in national construction and development at present, he
said.

For his part, President Lukashenko affirmed that Belarus will soon carry out
previously signed agreements to strengthen and expand cooperative relations between
the two countries.

The President said that Belarus and Vietnam need to strengthen trade and
investment ties, which have not realised their full potential.

He expressed his belief that the friendship and cooperation between the two
nations and legislatures would grow strongly following Chairman Trong's visit.

While highly appreciating Vietnam 's role and position in the Asian and the
Pacific region, President Lukashenko urged Vietnam to help his country expand
its ties with regional nations.

Earlier, NA Chairman Trong met with the Belorussian Prime Minister Sergei
Sidorsky, who asserted that Belarus always attaches great importance to
developing links with Vietnam .

Having applauded the bilateral relationships recent progress, the PM said that the
inter-governmental committee has already adopted a cooperation programme until
2012, thereby creating the ideal conditions to develop bilateral ties in all
fields.

A number of major Belorussian companies have been interested in Vietnam and
signed contracts at the 2009 Expo in Hanoi , particularly projects to build
automobile and truck manufacturing factories in the Southeast Asian country.

PM Sidorsky suggested that Belarus and Vietnam should concentrate on
education, saying that the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two
parliaments will generate a new momentum for the growth of the two nations'
relationship, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Chairman Trong informed PM Sidorsky of the outcomes of his earlier talks and
meetings with top leaders from the Belorussian State and parliament.

The legislator confirmed that Vietnam exercises a policy of fostering an in-
depth relationship with Belarus , which will increase both countries'
prosperity.-Enditem