Foreign policy achievements noted

Vietnam hosting the fifth Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM 5) in Hanoi was the most notable diplomatic event of 2004, said FM spokesman Le Dzung at a press conference last Thursday. Also noteworthy, he said, were the official visits to Germany, Cuba, Belgium and the European Commission by Party Chief Nong Duc Manh; to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Russia, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile and Argentina by President Tran Duc Luong; and to Malaysia, China, Mongolia, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa and Singapore by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.

Dzung noted various agreements signed between Vietnam and other countries along with improved relations, particularly China, also the United States. Between January and October, he said, Vietnam signed 97 international treaties, including 83 bilateral agreement and five multilateral treaties. (Laborer Dec 24 p2, VOV Dec 23, Vietnam News Briefs, Dec. 27).