VINACHEM

HA NOI — Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung delivered the opening speech at the Viet Nam – Italy business forum in Milan yesterday.

He also met with Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, and witnessed several signing ceremonies, including the exempting of entry visas for diplomatic passport holders.

Earlier, the deputy prime minister told a working session with Lombardy Region President Roberto Formigoni that Viet Nam – Italy commercial co-operation was at its best yet.

In response, the president praised Viet Nam's economic growth and commercial achievements.

Viet Nam was the gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other Asian countries for Lombardy and Italy in particular and Europe in general, he said.

The deputy prime minister, who was on the first day of a diplomatic mission to Italy, also witnessed the signing of a co-operation agreement between PetroVietnam and Italy's Valvitalia SpA during a meeting with Milan Mayor Letizia Moratti.

He assured the mayor that Viet Nam would create favourable conditions for Milan and Viet Nam enterprises to co-operate in investment, business, culture, sport and tourism.

The mayor praised Viet Nam for its open-door foreign policy and economic reform.

She also agreed that the relationship between Viet Nam and Italy in general and Milan in particular in economy, trade, industry, agriculture, culture, education, tourism and technology needed to be enhanced.

The deputy prime minister invited the mayor to visit Viet Nam for Thang Long – Ha Noi's 1,000th birthday.

He also met with representatives of Italian enterprises and visited the Tratoria della Pesa restaurant where President Ho Chi Minh stayed in the 1930s.

Viet Nam and Italy established diplomatic relations on March 23, 1973.

(Source: VNS)