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President Tran
Duc Luong and Brazilian President Luis Inacio da Silva voiced
their determination during a meeting in Brazil on Wednesday to
further expand bilateral co-operation especially regarding trade,
science, technology and investment.
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| President
Tran Duc Luong meets with Brazilian President Luis
Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil. |
President Luong arrived in Brazil on Monday and
finished his visit there Wednesday. The two leaders commended the
recent developments in bilateral relations, but were not satisfied
with the modest trade exchange between the two countries.
They agreed upon a
number of concrete measures to boost economic ties, including
farming and husbandry technology transfers, farm produce
processing, scientific research in agriculture, machinery
manufacturing, and ethanol production.
They also agreed to
strengthen co-ordination and co-operation in multilateral forums,
the UN, and between ASEAN, Mercosur and the Forum for East Asia
and Latin America Co-operation (FEALAC).
They stressed the
need to reform the UN, including the UN Security Council, to
safeguard the principle of democracy and equality among all UN
members and to enhance the UN's role in promoting solidarity among
nations.
Brazilian President
Luis Inacio Da Silva voiced his support for Vietnam's bid for a
non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09
term.
After talks, the
presidents witnessed the signing of notes on the abolition of visa
requirements for diplomatic passport holders from both countries.
They also witnessed the signing of a reciprocal Most-Favoured
Nation agreement between Vietnam and Brazil, which will expire
when Vietnam officially joins the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Also on this occasion, Vietnam and Brazil concluded bilateral
negotiations on Vietnam's accession to the WTO.
The same day,
President Luong held separate meetings with President of the
Brazilian Federal Senate Jose Sarney, President of the Brazilian
Chamber of Deputies Joao Paulo Cunha, and Chief Justice of the
Brazilian - Supreme Court Nelson Jobim. Earlier, President Luong
visited the state of Sao Paulo and joined Vice Governor Claudia
Lembo at the Vietnam Brazil business forum.
Just before
President Luong left Brazil, he and da Silva issued a joint
communique between Vietnam and Brazil expressing the two
countries' satisfaction that bilateral trade between the two
countries has increased in the last four years.
They attached great
importance to the need for further trade expansion, and welcomed
the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the
Confederacao Nacional de Industria and the Vietnam Chamber of
Commerce and Industry.
The communique also
expressed the willingness of the presidents to co-operate in the
health sector, particularly in the field of STDs and AIDS.
Both leaders agreed
that it is of great importance to enhance the credibility of
multilateral institutions, especially of the UN and the Security
Council. They shared the view that the world body should more
strongly confront the tasks of development and the fight against
hunger and poverty.
A more
comprehensive reform of the UN should include not only the
Security Council, but also the General Assembly, the ECOSOC and
the Secretariat.
(Source: Viet
Nam News)
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