Bolivia seeks access to ASEAN markets

President Truong Tan Sang (right) meets with Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera in Hanoi yesterday.

Sang made the pledge while receiving visiting Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera in Hanoi yesterday.

President Sang also expressed his hope that the two countries will continue to strengthen co-operation in all fields.

He spoke highly of the visit by Linera, the most senior State leader of Bolivia ever to visit Vietnam since the two countries set up diplomatic ties.

Linera said the trade relationship between the two sides has seen positive changes but is currently failing to match its potential, adding that one of the main aims of his visit is to seek ways to create a mechanism for increased bilateral trade collaboration.

During the talks he invited Sang to visit Bolivia at a convenient time.

In his own meeting with the Bolivian Vice President, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung suggested that the two sides increase exchanges at all levels in order to strengthen mutual understanding, and form direct partnerships, especially in trade, industry, agriculture, goods production and science and technology.

He urged that the two countries should soon set up a joint committee to foster economic, trade and investment co-operation. This body would conduct negotiations on the necessary legal frameworks, such as agreements on economics, trade, double taxation avoidance, and investment encouragement and protection.

PM Dung also suggested the two sides support each other at international forums, including the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Co-operation (FEALAC).

He concluded by saying that Vietnam should send business delegations to Bolivia to study investment opportunities, especially in industry and oil and gas.

Linera was also received by his Vietnamese counterpart, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan

Doan described the first official visit to Vietnam by the Bolivian high-ranking State delegation as an important milestone creating new impetus for promoting the relations between the two countries.

Doan said Vietnam and Bolivia share many similarities in history and proposed Bolivia to recognise the market economy status for Vietnam at an early date.

For his part, the Bolivian leader, who is visiting Vietnam from Sept 24-26, said he pledged to consider to push for more recognition and said he hopes that Vietnam will share experiences in renewal, hunger eradication, poverty reduction and socio-economic development.

After the talks, Doan and her guest witnessed the signing of an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders and a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries.