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Vietnam for dynamic ASEAN-Indian ti



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Vietnam for dynamic ASEAN-Indian ties

The Hindu (New Delhi)
January 10, 2001

 By Amit Baruah         (Interview)

HANOI, JAN. 9. The following are the written answers by the Vietnamese
Prime Minister, Mr. Phan Van Khai, to questions submitted to him by
TheHindu.

Amit Baruah: How would you describe the current status of Vietnam-India
relations?

Mr. Phan Van Khai: Vietnam and India have long entertained traditional,
close and reliable relations and multi-faceted cooperation. These
relations are now continuing to develop well for the benefit of our two
peoples and in the interest of peace, stability, cooperation and
development in the region. Since our two countries gained independence,
the late President, Ho Chi Minh, and the late Prime Minister, Jawaharlal
Nehru, contributed a lot to build and cultivate close ties between the
two countries. In recent years, bilateral relations have increasingly
developed at various levels and in several fields - political, cultural,
scientific, technical, security and defence. High-level visits between
the two countries of which the most recent are those paid by the
President, Mr. Tran Duc Luong, to India in December 1999 and the Prime
Minister, Mr. Vajpayee to Vietnam now have contributed to consolidating
and strengthening friendly relationship and multi-faceted cooperation.
The two Governments have set up a mechanism aimed at coordinating
bilateral cooperation like the Inter-governmental Committee for
Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technical Cooperation and the Joint
Working Group on IT cooperation and others. All this have helped
increase the efficiency of our relations.

What are the areas in which Vietnam and India can cooperate further?

Currently, the two countries are making efforts to promote economics,
trade, finance, credit, education-training, science- technology,
agriculture, forestry and fishery. These relations have proven to be
highly effective in promoting economic development and developing human
resources for Vietnam. In the current regional and international
situation, we wish to see the further strengthening of cooperation
between the two countries. We believe that it is necessary to find
effective measures to promote the current level and scope of cooperation
and while moving to the areas that Vietnam and India can further
cooperate like education and training, information technology, trade and
economics, etc.

In November, Vietnam and India were party to the launch of the
Mekong-Ganga Cooperation initiative. How do you view this?

The Inaugural Ministerial Meeting on Ganga Mekong Cooperation took place
in Vientiane at the initiative of India and Southeast Asian countries in
November last. Ministers from six countries agreed on the steps to be
taken to promote and increase the efficiency of multi-faceted
cooperation. This has contributed to enhancing solidarity between the
six participating countries and accelerating the implementation of the
hunger elimination and poverty reduction programme in Vietnam.

The Ganga-Mekong Cooperation will make an active contribution to the
implementation of cooperative programmes and projects in the Mekong
basin and thereby to the region's sustainable development. Among the
areas of cooperation agreed upon recently, tourism, identified as a
priority at the meeting, holds much potential for fast implementation.
Vietnam's competent agencies and bodies are now actively preparing for
the exchange of the most feasible cooperative projects and programmes
with other countries concerned. Vietnam will also make efforts to host
the 2001 Ministerial Meeting on Ganga-Mekong Cooperation.

What role do you foresee for India in the Asia-Pacific region?

As a big country in the region, India has an increasingly important role
and position in the region and the world. India has been consistently
following a foreign policy of independence, peace, and non- alignment
both in the past and at present. India has made efforts to strengthen
its relations with neighbouring and regional countries, contributed
actively to the Non-Aligned Movement, promoted the South-South
cooperation and safeguarded the legitimate interests of developing
countries at international fora. India has recorded important
achievements in the course of reform and economic development and thus
enhanced people's living standards. This will surely help enhance
India's standing on the international arena, especially in the
Asia-Pacific region.

What are the possibilities of cooperation in the field of information
technology between the two countries?

Though new, information technology is a very important area of
cooperation and a central component of Vietnam-India relations. At the
ninth meeting of the Vietnam-India Inter-governmental Committee for
Economic, Cultural and Scientific-technical Cooperation, held in New
Delhi in 1999, the two Governments agreed to the establishment of the
Joint Working Group on Information Technology in order to materialise
potential in this area. The Vietnamese FPT Company has already set up
its branch in India and entered into joint venture with APTECH to open
training centers for Vietnamese IT experts. These companies have
operated effectively. The Indian Government has agreed to provide soft
credits to Vietnam to assist the latter in establishing training centres
and developing computer software. It is our hope that early
implementation of these projects in Vietnam will help strong IT
development in Vietnam and constitute a new bright spot in our bilateral
cooperation picture.

India is already a dialogue partner of ASEAN. Do you see any greater
formal engagement between ASEAN and India in the coming months and
years?

The foundation of ASEAN-India cooperation dates back to the 1980s and
India became a full dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1995. Ever since, India
has made great efforts and active contribution to many fora such as ARF,
PMC, etc. Those activities of India, together with the endeavours of
other dialogue partners, have enhanced peace, stability, cooperation and
development in the region. India's economic and trade relations with
ASEAN are also in the increase; with two-way trade reaching US$7 billion
in 1999. It is, however, still modest, accounting for less than one per
cent of ASEAN's total trade value. In the near future, we need to make
greater efforts in promoting our economic cooperation, and try to seek
ways and means to expand trade and investment, science and technology,
etc. On the basis of the priorities set forth in the Hanoi Plan of
Action, we should build a more dynamic and effective ASEAN-India
relationship. We support improved relations between India and ASEAN in
the future.

In bilateral trade, Vietnam faces an adverse trade balance. What
specific measures can be taken by India to improve the balance of trade?

Recently, two way trade between Vietnam and India has kept increasing,
and currently amounts to around US$ 160 to 170 millions a year. However,
this has not been commensurating with the vast potentials of each
country as well as with our fine political relations. In fact, Vietnam's
trade with India is in deficit. There are a variety of reasons for this,
yet, the most important one is the similarity in their exports, as well
as the lack of understanding of each other's market and business
environment. In an effort to improve the balance of trade, at the tenth
meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and
Technological Cooperation in Hanoi last November, the two Governments
agreed to consider the diversification of Vietnam's exports to India,
enable businesses of each country to study the other's market and
business environment, streamline unnecessary and cumbersome
administrative procedures, etc. We hope that India will come up with a
more appropriate tariff regime to encourage Indian businesses import
Vietnamese goods, especially crude oil, coal, ceramics, handicrafts,
construction materials, etc. Besides efforts by our two Governments,
businesses of the two countries should be more active in exploiting on
our vast business potentials.

Vietnam and India have been firm friends during the anti- colonial
struggle. What new challenges will define this relationship in coming
years?

The world and regional situation have been witnessing fast and profound
development. The globalisation process is an inevitable trend which
brings about both positive and negative impacts to all countries in the
world. In this context, India, Vietnam as well as other developing
countries enjoy various opportunities for development, but, at the same
time, have to face many challenges in the security, political, economic
and cultural areas. In the economic field, the threat of lagging behind
presents the biggest challenge to us. We both want a peaceful and stable
environment in the region as well as the world which serves as a
precondition for us to focus on national development. We, therefore,
should work closely with each other in coping with those challenges,
further consolidate and develop our fine traditional relationship, fully
exploit every potential for cooperation and advance forward. Recently,
the two countries have made active contribution to the South-South
cooperation, made the voices of developing countries heard more loudly
and defended their legitimate interests at international fora. Vietnam
and India need to work closer toward building a peaceful and stable
regional and international environment without causing detriment to any
third party.

On the occasion of the new year, through TheHindu, allow me to convey my
best wishes to the Indian people; May the traditional relationship of
mutual attachment, trust and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam
and India be ever developed.





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<b><font size=+2>Vietnam for dynamic ASEAN-Indian ties</font></b>
<p>The Hindu (New Delhi)
<br>January 10, 2001
<p>&nbsp;By <b>Amit Baruah&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

</b>(Interview)
<p><b>HANOI, JAN. 9.</b> The following are the written answers by the Vietnamese
Prime Minister, Mr. Phan Van Khai, to questions submitted to him by TheHindu.
<p><b>Amit Baruah: How would you describe the current status of Vietnam-India
relations?</b>
<p>Mr. Phan Van Khai: Vietnam and India have long entertained traditional,
close and reliable relations and multi-faceted cooperation. These relations
are now continuing to develop well for the benefit of our two peoples and
in the interest of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the
region. Since our two countries gained independence, the late President,
Ho Chi Minh, and the late Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, contributed
a lot to build and cultivate close ties between the two countries. In recent
years, bilateral relations have increasingly developed at various levels
and in several fields - political, cultural, scientific, technical, security
and defence. High-level visits between the two countries of which the most
recent are those paid by the President, Mr. Tran Duc Luong, to India in
December 1999 and the Prime Minister, Mr. Vajpayee to Vietnam now have
contributed to consolidating and strengthening friendly relationship and
multi-faceted cooperation. The two Governments have set up a mechanism
aimed at coordinating bilateral cooperation like the Inter-governmental
Committee for Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technical Cooperation and
the Joint Working Group on IT cooperation and others. All this have helped
increase the efficiency of our relations.
<p><b>What are the areas in which Vietnam and India can cooperate further?</b>
<p>Currently, the two countries are making efforts to promote economics,
trade, finance, credit, education-training, science- technology, agriculture,
forestry and fishery. These relations have proven to be highly effective
in promoting economic development and developing human resources for Vietnam.
In the current regional and international situation, we wish to see the
further strengthening of cooperation between the two countries. We believe
that it is necessary to find effective measures to promote the current
level and scope of cooperation and while moving to the areas that Vietnam
and India can further cooperate like education and training, information
technology, trade and economics, etc.
<p><b>In November, Vietnam and India were party to the launch of the Mekong-Ganga
Cooperation initiative. How do you view this?</b>
<p>The Inaugural Ministerial Meeting on Ganga Mekong Cooperation took place
in Vientiane at the initiative of India and Southeast Asian countries in
November last. Ministers from six countries agreed on the steps to be taken
to promote and increase the efficiency of multi-faceted cooperation. This
has contributed to enhancing solidarity between the six participating countries
and accelerating the implementation of the hunger elimination and poverty
reduction programme in Vietnam.
<p>The Ganga-Mekong Cooperation will make an active contribution to the
implementation of cooperative programmes and projects in the Mekong basin
and thereby to the region's sustainable development. Among the areas of
cooperation agreed upon recently, tourism, identified as a priority at
the meeting, holds much potential for fast implementation. Vietnam's competent
agencies and bodies are now actively preparing for the exchange of the
most feasible cooperative projects and programmes with other countries
concerned. Vietnam will also make efforts to host the 2001 Ministerial
Meeting on Ganga-Mekong Cooperation.
<p><b>What role do you foresee for India in the Asia-Pacific region?</b>
<p>As a big country in the region, India has an increasingly important
role and position in the region and the world. India has been consistently
following a foreign policy of independence, peace, and non- alignment both
in the past and at present. India has made efforts to strengthen its relations
with neighbouring and regional countries, contributed actively to the Non-Aligned
Movement, promoted the South-South cooperation and safeguarded the legitimate
interests of developing countries at international fora. India has recorded
important achievements in the course of reform and economic development
and thus enhanced people's living standards. This will surely help enhance
India's standing on the international arena, especially in the Asia-Pacific
region.
<p><b>What are the possibilities of cooperation in the field of information
technology between the two countries?</b>
<p>Though new, information technology is a very important area of cooperation
and a central component of Vietnam-India relations. At the ninth meeting
of the Vietnam-India Inter-governmental Committee for Economic, Cultural
and Scientific-technical Cooperation, held in New Delhi in 1999, the two
Governments agreed to the establishment of the Joint Working Group on Information
Technology in order to materialise potential in this area. The Vietnamese
FPT Company has already set up its branch in India and entered into joint
venture with APTECH to open training centers for Vietnamese IT experts.
These companies have operated effectively. The Indian Government has agreed
to provide soft credits to Vietnam to assist the latter in establishing
training centres and developing computer software. It is our hope that
early implementation of these projects in Vietnam will help strong IT development
in Vietnam and constitute a new bright spot in our bilateral cooperation
picture.
<p><b>India is already a dialogue partner of ASEAN. Do you see any greater
formal engagement between ASEAN and India in the coming months and years?</b>
<p>The foundation of ASEAN-India cooperation dates back to the 1980s and
India became a full dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1995. Ever since, India
has made great efforts and active contribution to many fora such as ARF,
PMC, etc. Those activities of India, together with the endeavours of other
dialogue partners, have enhanced peace, stability, cooperation and development
in the region. India's economic and trade relations with ASEAN are also
in the increase; with two-way trade reaching US$7 billion in 1999. It is,
however, still modest, accounting for less than one per cent of ASEAN's
total trade value. In the near future, we need to make greater efforts
in promoting our economic cooperation, and try to seek ways and means to
expand trade and investment, science and technology, etc. On the basis
of the priorities set forth in the Hanoi Plan of Action, we should build
a more dynamic and effective ASEAN-India relationship. We support improved
relations between India and ASEAN in the future.
<p><b>In bilateral trade, Vietnam faces an adverse trade balance. What
specific measures can be taken by India to improve the balance of trade?</b>
<p>Recently, two way trade between Vietnam and India has kept increasing,
and currently amounts to around US$ 160 to 170 millions a year. However,
this has not been commensurating with the vast potentials of each country
as well as with our fine political relations. In fact, Vietnam's trade
with India is in deficit. There are a variety of reasons for this, yet,
the most important one is the similarity in their exports, as well as the
lack of understanding of each other's market and business environment.
In an effort to improve the balance of trade, at the tenth meeting of the
Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation
in Hanoi last November, the two Governments agreed to consider the diversification
of Vietnam's exports to India, enable businesses of each country to study
the other's market and business environment, streamline unnecessary and
cumbersome administrative procedures, etc. We hope that India will come
up with a more appropriate tariff regime to encourage Indian businesses
import Vietnamese goods, especially crude oil, coal, ceramics, handicrafts,
construction materials, etc. Besides efforts by our two Governments, businesses
of the two countries should be more active in exploiting on our vast business
potentials.
<p><b>Vietnam and India have been firm friends during the anti- colonial
struggle. What new challenges will define this relationship in coming years?</b>
<p>The world and regional situation have been witnessing fast and profound
development. The globalisation process is an inevitable trend which brings
about both positive and negative impacts to all countries in the world.
In this context, India, Vietnam as well as other developing countries enjoy
various opportunities for development, but, at the same time, have to face
many challenges in the security, political, economic and cultural areas.
In the economic field, the threat of lagging behind presents the biggest
challenge to us. We both want a peaceful and stable environment in the
region as well as the world which serves as a precondition for us to focus
on national development. We, therefore, should work closely with each other
in coping with those challenges, further consolidate and develop our fine
traditional relationship, fully exploit every potential for cooperation
and advance forward. Recently, the two countries have made active contribution
to the South-South cooperation, made the voices of developing countries
heard more loudly and defended their legitimate interests at international
fora. Vietnam and India need to work closer toward building a peaceful
and stable regional and international environment without causing detriment
to any third party.
<p>On the occasion of the new year, through TheHindu, allow me to convey
my best wishes to the Indian people; May the traditional relationship of
mutual attachment, trust and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam
and India be ever developed.
<br>&nbsp;
<br>&nbsp;
<p>&nbsp;</html>

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