SA, Vietnam establish relations
Richard Mantu
26 November 2004
South Africa signed three agreements with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Pretoria on Wednesday in order to create structures that will result in the establishment of a bi-national commission.
The two countries signed a joint trade commitment, a joint declaration partnership for co-operation and development, and an agreement on the establishment of an inter-governmental partnership forum for economics, trade, scientific, technical and cultural co-operation.
President Thabo Mbeki and two Cabinet ministers, Aziz Pahad and Lindiwe Hendricks, signed the agreements with their counterparts, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and ministers Phan Tue Rue and Nguyen Phu Binh.
Mbeki said the agreements formed the basis for future co-operation that might lead to the establishment of a bi-national commission.
"The important thing now is to create the institutional mechanisms for these agreements to ensure the bi-national
commission is established", Mbeki told journalists after talks with the Vietnamese prime minister.
"I will visit Vietnam in 2005 to ensure that our work is translated into practical and dynamic co-operation", Mbeki said.
Speaking through an interpreter, Van Khai said the two countries had lots of trade and economic potential, and that South Africa offered an important channel for Vietnamese products into Africa.
However, he said that both countries had to study each other's markets first.
"I don't think until now government and business have fully understood each other, and I think it would be important for the two sides to study each other's markets", Van Khai said.
Source: BuaNews
| 
