Spain's king welcomes prime minister Phan Van Khai
HANOI - King of Spain Juan Carlos praised achievements of the Vietnamese people in their
renovation process and expressed his hope that Viet Nam-Spain development cooperation would be carried
out in order to gain good results commensurate with the position and potential of each country.
The King made the comments while he received Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in Madrid on Oct. 8 during
the first Spain visit by PM Khai of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
PM Khai expressed his pleasure at the fine development of the friendship and cooperation between the two
countries. He highly valued and thanked the Spanish people for their support and assistance to Viet Nam in
the renovation process, as Spain had considered Viet Nam as a preferential partner of Spain in its
development cooperation and assistance policies. Spain has provided Viet Nam with valuable aid in the
implementation of a number of cooperation projects and programmes through investment and trade, PM Khai
noted.
The same day, Upper House of the Spanish National Assembly President Esperanza Aguirre, warmly
welcomed PM Khai's visit to the Upper House and presented him with the emblem of Spain's Constitution
which had been preserved since Napoleon's invasion of Spain early in the 19th century. President Aguirre
highly evaluated the achievements gained by the Vietnamese people in the renovation and the development of
cooperation between the two countries, especially the implementation of agreements signed by the two
countries.
She affirmed that cooperative relations between Spain and Viet Nam would develop in accordance with their
economic, investment and trade potential. She was pleased to accept the invitation of Vietnamese National
Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An to visit Viet Nam.
PM Khai congratulated the Spanish people on their great achievements in socio-economic development,
culture, science and technology and on Spain's important role in Europe and the world.
Khai said he was delighted at the positive development of Viet Nam-Spain relationship since the two
countries established diplomatic ties in 1977, especially the signing of important and framework ageements
between the two countries, which, he said, would be implemented effectively.
PM Khai asserted that Vietnamese people have benefited and are benefiting from Spain's development
cooperation projects on healthcare, energy and environmental protection.
He reiterated that Viet Nam wants, together with Spain, to further boost relations in the framework of
multilateral, ASEAN-EU and Asia-Europe (ASEM) cooperation. Viet Nam attachs importance to relations with
member countries of the European Union, he affirmed. Khai said that Spain in the position of EU President
should give more support to Viet Nam-EU economic and commercial ties. He also asked Spain to continue to
support Viet Nam in the process of international economic integration, especially Viet Nam's joining the World
Trade Organization.
Later in the day, PM Khai met with Chairman of the Spanish National Assembly's External Relations
Committee Gabrriel Elorriaga.
PM Khai assured Elorriaga of Viet Nam's policy to continue carrying out renewal and its strategy of
socio-economic development as well as Viet Nam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance,
multilateralization and diversification of international relations, and active integration into the world economy.
"Viet Nam pursues a guideline of being a reliable partner of all countries in the international community,"
PM Khai told Elorriaga.
The visiting Prime Minister also made a visit to the Federation of Spanish Entrepreneurs (CEOE) and
attended a seminar on Spain-Viet Nam business.
Taking the floor at the seminar, PM Khai restated Viet Nam's efforts to continue promoting reforms of the
banking and financial sector, the tax system, and the state-owned corporate sector.
"Viet Nam will also help develop the private economic sector, as well as recognize and encourage foreign
direct investment (FDI)," Khai told Spanish entrepreneurs.
Viet Nam would continue finalizing its legal system concerning foreign investment in order to make it more
attractive, more open, more transparent and stable, PM Khai said.
He further expressed his belief that Viet Nam and Spain's economies have great potential to support each
other's development through the exchange of trade and investment.
Vietnam News Agency - October 9, 2001.
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