(VOVworld)-President Truong Tan Sang talked with US president Barack Obama at the White House yesterday/ on Thursday about cooperation between the two countries as well as regional and global issues of mutual concerns.
The two countries have agreed to establish a comprehensive partnership based on respect for the United Nations Charter and international law as well as for each other’s political institutions, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
President Obama said the US attaches importance to the US-Vietnam relationship and Vietnam’s role in the region and expressed a hope that relations between the two countries will continue to flourish. The two sides stressed that economic, trade and investment cooperation serves as the foundation and driving force of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership while affirming their commitment to completing the TPP negotiation at the earliest possible time this year, taking into account the difference in development levels of each country within the framework of a balanced and comprehensive agreement.
President Obama lauded Vietnam’s economic reform achievements, saying he acknowledged Vietnam’s status as a market economy. The two sides agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in other sectors and coordination in regional and international forums like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Plus Defence Ministerial Meeting (ADMM+).
The two leaders reiterated support of the resolution of East Sea issues by peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They re-affirmed their backing of the principle of not using force or threatening the use of force to settle sea and territorial disputes. The two leaders stressed the value of the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China and the significance of the start of negotiations towards achieving an effective Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC).
The two sides exchanged views on areas of disagreement such as human rights, agreed to strengthen mutual understanding and narrow differences through constructive dialogues and mutual respect so as not to let the problem affect their developing relations.
During their talks, President Sang mentioned to President Obama a letter the late President Ho Chi Minh sent to US President Harry Truman on February 16, 1946, which expressed the wish that Vietnam be “completely independent” and establish “full cooperation” with the US. The original letter is being kept at the US National Archives and Records Administration. After their talks, President Sang and President Obama met with the press. The two issued a joint statement on Vietnam-US relations. President Sang said: “We have discussed cooperation in the fields of politics-diplomacy, science-technology, defence-security, humanitarian cooperation-overcoming war aftermath, protection and promotion of human rights, and Vietnamese people living in the US...We have discussed all issues frankly and constructively and reached a high degree of consensus. We have agreed to increase exchanges of high-ranking visits, set up new cooperation mechanisms, and upgrade existing mechanisms.”
The same day, President Sang met the President pro-tempore of the US Senate Patrick Leahy. President Sang spoke highly of the role of Senator Leahy and the US Senate in boosting the relationship between Vietnam and the US and thanked the Senator for his support of the process of normalization. Sang asked Senator Leahy to continue promoting bilateral relations by supporting the establishment of an annual dialogue between the two legislative bodies and the re-establishment of a congressional committee for relations between Vietnam and the US. He also called for the senator’s support for Vietnam in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) negotiations and US recognition of Vietnam’s market economy. The President asked for Senator Leahy’s help in removing barriers to bilateral trade including the new catfish monitoring programs under the 2013 Farm Act, seeking a complete end to the arms embargo against Vietnam, increasing support for Vietnam in overcoming war aftermath, and blocking bills and resolutions unfavorable to the development of bilateral relations. Later that day, Sang and his entourage flew from Washington DC to New York.
President Truong Tan Sang on Thursday visited the Center for Strategic and International Studies as part of his official visit to the US. In his speech on Vietnam-US relations in the Asia-Pacific, President Sang said this relationship has been expanded and taken to a new level in certain areas. Strengthening relations with the US is part of Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self reliance and international integration. Vietnam and the US have agreed to establish a comprehensive partnership which will encompass politics-external relations, economics, trade, investment, education, science-technology, defense, and security. In addition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Vietnam will boost its cooperation with the US in other forums including ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and APEC. President Sang said previous policies on embargoes and sanctions have been replaced by policies on reconciliation and cooperation. He said: “I want to convey the message that Vietnam hopes the two countries will foster bilateral comprehensive cooperation for both our people’s benefit and for an Asia-Pacific region of peace, stability, dynamism and prosperity. We should work together in the spirit of respect, equality and mutual benefit to achieve this goal.”
As part of his visit, President Sang also answered a number of questions from US scholars and overseas Vietnamese living in the United States.
Hoang Dung