VN, Myanmar affirm determination to heighten ties

Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (L) and Myanmar’s President Thein Sein, Nay Pyi Taw, December 21, 2011 – Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc

The agreement was made during the talks between visiting PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and Myanmar’s President Thein Sein on December 21.

The two leaders also agreed to focus on the 12 prioritized cooperative areas defined in the joint declaration issued in April 2010 and raise two-way trade volume to US $500 million by 2015.

Myanmar encourages Vietnamese businesses to invest in agriculture and infrastructure development and gas exploration. Both sides agreed to assign the relevant ministers to discuss on joint projects regarding these fields.

PM Dũng and President also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern, reiterating close coordination at regional and international forums like ASEAN, CLMV, CLMV, ACMECS, GMS and EWEC.

The Vietnamese PM believed that Myanmar would successfully fulfill the role of ASEAN Chairmanship in 2014, thus contributing to the bloc’s joint effort to realize the ASEAN Community by 2015.

Việt Nam and Myanmar pledged to work with other relevant countries for sustainable exploitation of Mekong water resources; support serious observation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards the adoption of a code of conduct in the East Sea (COC) for peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the region.

Right after the talks, PM Dũng and Myanmar President Thein Sein witnessed the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on agriculture and rural development and the MoU on non-refundable technical assistance worth of US $250,000 from the Bank for Investment and Development of Việt Nam (BIDV).

Earlier, PM Dũng and Myanmar President Thein Sein visited a paddy test field invested by Việt Trang Import Export Joint Stock Company (Viettranimex) and the National Seed Joint Stock Company (Vinaseed) in Nay Pyi Taw./.

By Kim Loan