Vietnam, Italy strengthen cooperative ties

      Italy has agreed to assist Vietnam to carry out its renewal process, implement hunger elimination and poverty reduction projects and fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The agreement was reached during a political consultation between the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister (FM), Nguyen Quoc Cuong, and his Italian counterpart, Stefania Craxi, who is on a working visit to Vietnam from March 10-13.
At the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation in such areas as politics, economics, trade, investment, development cooperation, national defence, culture, education and tourism.
While expressing their delight at the fruitful development of Vietnam-Italy relations, the two diplomats agreed to increase the exchange of high-level visits and resume the operations of the inter-governmental committee on economic cooperation.
They also decided to implement the agreements reached during the Italian Minister of Economic Development Claudio Scajola’s visit to Vietnam in November 2008, and prepare for the Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet’s upcoming visit to Italy.
Deputy FM Cuong highlighted Italian businesses’ plan to increase their investment in Vietnam and thanked for the Italian Government’s 1 million EUR aid to storm victims in 2008.
The Italian diplomat asserted that Italy considers Vietnam a priority cooperative partner in Asia, and wants to facilitate coordination with Vietnam at multilateral forums, particularly at the United Nations.
Both sides exchanged views on international issues of mutual concern, including financial crisis, economic recession, climate change, energy crisis and other global challenges.
They affirmed that nations worldwide need to work together closely to overcome the difficulties through bilateral cooperation as well as international organisations and forums.
During her visit, Ms Craxi worked with the Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Nguyen Bich Dat, and the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Nguyen Quan. She attended the opening session of the joint committee on scientific and technological cooperation.
The Italian official signed a culture and education cooperation programme for the 2009-2012 period with the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as well as a 2009-2011 science and technology cooperation programme with the Ministry of Science and Technology.
She also participated in a working session with the Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Nguyen Trung Tin, and met with the Italian business community in the city on March 13.