Indian Prime Minister winds up visit to Vietnam
Ha Noi, Jan. 10 (VNA) -- On Jan. 10 Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee ended his official Viet Nam visit during which the two countries signed protocol extending their cultural cooperation programme to 2003, a memorandum of understanding for nuclear energy cooperation for peaceful purposes and a tourism agreement.
During his the four-day stay, the Indian Prime Minister paid courtesy visits to the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Le Kha Phieu, and President Tran Duc Luong and held talks with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai. Vajpayee and his delegation also had meetings with General Vo Nguyen Giap, Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, and Defence Minister Pham Van Tra.
At these meetings, the Indian Prime Minister discussed with Vietnamese leaders is isues on bilateral and multilateral relations and regional & international issues of common concern.
They focussed on measures to further economic, commercial and investment links, particularly cooperation in science, technology, education and training, healthcare and agriculture, between the two countries.
Vajpayee also met with Vietnamese and Indian businessmen and representatives of the Vietnamese youth delegation, which is to take part in the Viet Nam-India cultural exchange programme in the year 2001.
Before leaving Ha Noi, Vajpayee and the other distinguished Indian guests paid floral tributes to the late President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum and visited his office and stilt house.-- VNA
