Vietnam and Hungary will ink three cooperation deals, including an inter-governmental agreement on establishment of a framework program, a tourism cooperation plan for 200802009 and Education Work Plan in joint efforts to boost the comprehensive relations, particularly in trade, economics, state media said Friday.
Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom is paying an official visit to Vietnam from May 15-19 at the invitation of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, the first visit by a head of the Central European state in 10 years, Vietnam News Agency said.
“It is also a good sign that the newly found interest is mostly targeted at high-tech industries, particularly at the IT sector,” Hungarian Ambassador Laszlo Vizi told the agency.
Under the to-be-signed pacts, during Laszlo Solyom’s visit to Vietnam, Hungary will provide Vietnam a EUR35 million tied credit to Vietnam, the diplomat said.
As for official development assistance (ODA), Ambassador Laszlo Vizi said that Vietnam is Hungary's most important partner in Asia.
Hungary has partnered with Vietnam in its official development assistance (ODA) policy since 2003, and pledges a total of around US$500,000 a year to the Southeast Asian country. Last year, Hungary increased its ODA pledge to Vietnam to US$49.5 million at the Vietnam Consultative Group (CG) meeting.
A businesspeople delegation will explore investment opportunities in Vietnam also.
The bilateral trade between Vietnam and Hungary reached US$89.6 million in 2007, up from US$38 million in 2004. Vietnam has exported mainly textiles, apparel, footwear, coffee, electronic spare parts, handicraft items to Hungary while importing from the country pharmaceutical products, medical equipment and machinery.
The EU imports 80 per cent of Hungary.
Since the two countries established diplomatic ties in February 1950, Vietnam and Hungary have exchanged a number of high-level visits, namely visits to Hungary by Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in 1999 and President Tran Duc Luong in 2004 and to Vietnam by President Arpad Goncz in 1998, National Assembly Chairman Katalin Szili in 2004 and Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany in 2005. (The People, VNA)
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