Vietnam PM assures full cooperation

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Sri Lankan delegation met Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung last evening during the three day state visit to Vietnam.

Vietnamese Prime Minister, Dung during his discussions with the President and the delegation expressed Vietnam's keen interest for oil and gas exploration in Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa told Prime Minister Dung that the proposal laid by the Government to engage in oil exploration will be taken into consideration and further examined.

Prime Minister Dung also stressed that the Government of Vietnam will not allow any remnants of LTTE terrorism to raise its head again in the region and assured that Vietnam will always continue to stand by the Sri Lankan Government.

The Vietnam Government expressed hope that the demining process would soon be completed for the early resettlement of the displaced persons and asserted willingness to help in the demining process claiming that Vietnam had much experience and expertise in that field.

Following bilateral discussions the two sides signed five agreements on 'Protection and Promotion of Investments signed by Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Vietnam's Planning and Investment Minister Vo Hon Phuc, a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage of Sri Lanka signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama and the Permanent Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Danh Thai.

A work plan for the year 2010-2011 on Agriculture Development Cooperation between the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam was signed by Minister Bogollagama and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vu Van Tam.

They also signed an agreement on 'Work Plan for the year 2010-2013 agreement pertaining to 'Technical Assistance from the Government of Vietnam for Aquaculture between the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Fisheries of Vietnam.

Both parties entered into an agreement on 'Cooperation Agreement on Prevention and Combating Crime' between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and Ministry of Defence, Law and Order of Sri Lanka signed by Gamini Senerath, Additional Secretary and Chief of Staff to President and Permanent Deputy Minister of Public Security, Nguyen Khanh Toan. President Rajapaksa and his Vietnamese counterpart witnessed the signing of the agreements for cooperation between the two countries.