Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Nov. 23 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai arrived in Singapore today, Nov. 23, to attend the fourth informal summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He is accompanied by Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, Trade Minister Vu Khoan, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Tam Chien, Deputy Finance Minister Le Thi Bang Tam, and Deputy Director of the Government Office Van Trong Ly.

This afternoon, PM Khai had a bilateral talk with his Singaporean counterpart, Goh Chok Tong. The two PMs discussed measures to boost the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Singapore and to strengthen solidarity, cooperation and mutual assistance between ASEAN countries in the new situation.

Prime Minister Goh asked Prime Minister Khai to convey profound sympathy from the Singaporean Government and people to flood victims in Viet Nam's Mekong delta provinces.

He told Prime Minister Khai that at this summit, Singapore would raise the proposal for further assistance to the four new member countries of ASEAN, namely Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, for development of human resources, particularly in information technology, with a view to narrowing the development gap among ASEAN members.

Prime Minister Khai expressed thanks to PM Goh and the Singaporean Government and people for their hospitality and warm welcome given to the Vietnamese delegation. He expressed his firm belief that with the active role of the host country and close cooperation among ASEAN member countries, this time's ASEAN summit would be successful, contributing to raising ASEAN's role and position in the region and the world at large.

PM Khai highly appreciated Singapore's cooperation with Viet Nam over the past time, especially cooperation in commerce, investment, education and training. He said he believed that the mutually-beneficial cooperation would be promoted and expanded in the time to come.--