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HANOI, (AFP) Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando met his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Dy Nien in Hanoi yesterday for talks on improving bilateral relations.

After a brief public meeting in which international terrorism and last week's APEC summit were discussed, Fernando and Nien began the inaugural session of the Vietnam-Sri Lanka joint commission.

Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando is greeted by his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Dy Nien at the Government Guest House yesterday in Hanoi. Fernando’s two-day official visit is aimed at improving bilateral relations. Picture by AFP

The panel, which will meet every two years, is aimed at improving economic, cultural and science and technology cooperation.

"Both our countries have come through wars and both are now trying to improve their economic infrastructure through the private sector," Fernando said.

Later yesterday, Fernando met Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and President Tran Duc Luong. He flew into Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday on a four-day official visit, and spent the following day exploring the southern business capital.

"We had a very disturbing experience when we visited the war memorial museum there and saw the atrocities you had to face," he told Nien. Fernando leaves Vietnam today. The two countries established diplomatic relations in July 1970.

Last year bilateral trade reached around US $ 30 million, according to official Vietnamese figures.

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