Vietnam PM calls for more trade talks with U.S
HELSINKI - Vietnamese Prime Minister
Phan Van Khai said Thursday that further talks with the United
States were needed before the two countries could sign
commercial agreements they had recently negotiated.
Khai told a news conference during a visit to Finland that the
pacts were causing divisions in his country.
``There are still different views in Vietnam on this (the
agreements) and there are areas which call for further
negotiations with the United States,'' he said through an
interpreter.
``But this should not prevent us from going further,'' he added,
without elaborating on what the problematic areas were.
He declined to say when the agreements could be finally signed,
but his remarks indicated Vietnam's Communist leadership was
split on the issue. Vietnam is among few remaining nations in the
world where Communist regimes enjoy a monopoly on power.
The agreements, which were due for signing already earlier this
month, would have paved the way to much-needed U.S.
investment and allowed Washington to grant its former foe
normal trade status.
Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, whose country is the
current European Union chairman, said he hoped the pacts
could be signed soon, and vowed to support Vietnam's pleas
for better access to EU markets.
``Finland is ready to take it up with its EU partners,'' he told the
joint news conference with Khai.
But Lipponen also raised the issue of human rights, following
reports the Communist authorities were delaying release of
some prisoners of conscience and harassing monks.
``Human rights, judicial cooperation are key to relations
between EU and Vietnam,'' Lipponen said. Officials later said
he told Khai the EU expected to see better treatment of
dissidents.
Asked directly about political prisoners, Khai recited the
standard Hanoi line that no such detainees existed in Vietnam,
but he also said ``criminals'' who want to become ``good
citizens'' will be offered a new amnesty next year.
Khai's visit to Finland is part of a tour of Nordic capitals, some
of which were very critical of U.S. intervention in Vietnam in
1960s and among the first to recognize the victorious regime,
even before the Vietnam War ended in 1975.
Khai is heading a delegation of 19 businessmen hoping to forge
ties with Scandinavian companies.
Reuters - September 23, 1999.
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