Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, June 11 (VNA) -- Viet Nam welcomed President George Bush's request for the U.S. Congress's ratification of the Viet Nam-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), said Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh.

Asked about Viet Nam's reaction to U.S. President G. Bush's June 8 request that the U.S. Congress ratify the Viet Nam-U.S. BTA, Ms.Thanh stressed:

"The signing of the Viet Nam-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement resulted from the efforts made by both Vietnamese and U.S. sides, meeting the interests of both countries. Early ratification and implementation of the Agreement will benefit both Viet Nam and the U.S.

We welcome President G. Bush's request for the U.S. Congress's ratification of the BTA, and consider it as a positive step of the U.S. Government in the process toward full normalisation of the two countries' relations, in the interests of the two countries and meeting the desire of the two peoples, especially those people conducting trade.

We hope that the consideration and ratification of the Viet Nam-U.S. BTA and the waiver extension of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment to Viet Nam will be made as soon as possible so that the two countries can grant each other the Normal Trade Relations".