Vajpayee to tour Vietnam, Indonesia to firm Indian foothold in ASEAN
NEW DELHI -
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee leaves next week for an eight-day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia aimed at securing
a better foothold in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Vajpayee, the first Indian premier to visit Vietnam since 1994, leaves for Hanoi on Sunday and will hold talks with his
Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Khai, Indian foreign ministry official S.G. Devere said.
During his three-day official visit, the prime minister will also have talks with Communist Party secretary general Le Kha Phieu
and President Tran Duc Luong and address a Indo-Vietnamese business forum.
The two countries have traditionally enjoyed warm relations. India was the only non-socialist state to recognise the government
installed by Vietnam in Cambodia after Vietnamese troops invaded the neighbouring country in 1978.
"The prime minister's visit will underline the importance India attaches to its unique relationship with Vietnam," Devere said,
adding that a number of agreements were likely to be signed.
The two countries have a shared interested in presenting a united front in relation to regional superpower China, Vietnam's
northern neighbour.
Experts said India, which is just a "full dialogue member" of ASEAN also hopes to secure a stronger foothold in the regional
grouping with Vajpayee's visit.
Vietnam is scheduled to chair a meeting of ASEAN's powerful standing committee in Hanoi later this year.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh visited Vietnam last November and held talks with officials on trade, industrial and
defence cooperation.
Trade between the two countries last year was worth around 150 million dollars, with India enjoying a large surplus.
"The two-way trade between India and Vietnam does not have the same reflection as our political relationship," Devere said.
"Current bilateral trade is in India's favour and our endeavour is to make the trade more balanced," he added.
After Vietnam, Vajpayee will leave for Indonesia on Wednesday for wide-ranging talks to promote trade and political ties with
ASEAN's largest member.
Vajpayee's four-day visit will the first by an Indian prime minister to Indonesia in 14 years.
Agence France Presse - January 4, 2001.
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