Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Feb. 28 (VNA) -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Ralph Boyce visited Viet Nam between Feb. 27 and 28 to work with the Foreign Ministry.

He met with Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Dinh Bin and had working sessions with Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung and several ministry officials.

Measures to boost Viet Nam-U.S. relations, particularly the ratification of the Bilateral Trade Agreement, which the two countries had signed in July 2000, were discussed at the meeting.

So too were the enhancement of cooperation between the U.S. and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, and some issues relating to the up-coming meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Mr. Ralph Boyce is the first official of the Bush Administration to visit Viet Nam.--VNA