French President to Visit Vietnam Next Year

President of France Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to pay an official visit to Vietnam towards the first or second quarter next year, a French official said.

 

The information was released by French Minister of State responsible for Cooperation and Francophony Alain Joyandet at a press briefing in Hanoi June 2, Vietnam Net reported. 

 

“My presence here in Hanoi is to prepare the ground for the significant visit,” Alain Joyandet said, noting Nicolas Sarkozy’s trip would continue to intensively boost the bilateral relations, following agreements signed between the two nations during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s trip to France last October.

 

On the occasion, the two sides are likely to mull over the adjustment of the framework document on partnership signed in September 2006, he said.  

 

Alain Joyandet later held talks with deputy minister of education Tran Van Nhung and minister of planning and investment Vo Hong Phuc, focusing on France’s assistance project to help Vietnam train doctors, cooperation programs in civil nuclear, defense, anti-illegal migration, trade fraud, and projects to build metro routes in Hanoi and to restore the Long Bien Bridge.

 

Joyandet also noted that France is interested in the plan of Hanoi expanding, particularly projects on infrastructure development.

 

France is now Vietnam’s second bilateral donor and always takes the lead among EU nations in providing ODA for it.

 

The two-way trade hit EUR1.2 billion per year. Currently, over 5,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the European nation’s universities. (VietnamNet)