Vietnamese Party, National Assembly Leaders Meet Greek President
Text of report in English by state-run Vietnamese news agency VNA website
[Unattributed article from the "Politics" page: "Party, National Assembly leaders meet Greek president"]
Hanoi (VNA) -Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh regards the visit to Vietnam by Greek President Karolos Papoulias as an important event, contributing to creating new momentum for the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Greece to reach new heights.
The party chief made the remarks on Oct. 13 during his meeting in Hanoi with the visiting Greek president, who is scheduled to spend a week in Vietnam as the guest of President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Party General Secretary Manh said the Vietnamese people have a fondness for Greece, a country occupying an important position in Europe and one of the cradles of human civilisation.
He availed himself of this opportunity to thank the Greek people for their unswerving support and valuable assistance in the past and today and hoped to continue to gain the backing of the European country in its bid to boost political, economic and trade ties with the European Union and at international forums.
President Karolos Papoulias said that Greece would like to strengthen its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam and tap into the two countries’ potential to develop existing ties.
“Greece and Vietnam have many similarities to stand side-by-side in promoting stable, long-term, equal and mutually beneficial cooperation and to make important contributions towards peace and development in the world,” the visiting Greek president said.
He congratulated Vietnam for the achievements it has recorded in the renewal process and for the contributions it has made to the settlement of a wide range of regional and global issues.
The same day, the Greek President met with National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and reiterated his country’s determination to ratchet up multi-dimensional cooperation with Vietnam for the sake of both nations and for the development of the Balkan and Southeast Asian regions.
“Greece will support Vietnam in promoting economic and trade ties with the EU,” President Karolos Papoulias said, expressing his belief that, based on the two countries’ potential and desires, Greco-Vietnamese relations will be fruitful in the future.
NA Chairman Trong affirmed that Vietnam is eager to exchange experiences of industrialisation and modernisation with its international friends, including Greece.
He said the Vietnamese National Assembly would do its utmost to foster the growing relationship between the two countries by creating favourable conditions for supporting executive bodies in promoting cooperation with Greece.
The NA Chairman asked the Greek president to convey an invitation to visit Vietnam to his Greek counterpart.
Originally published by VNA news agency website, Hanoi, in English 13 Oct 08.
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