India, Vietnam Joint Commission meeting to be held tomorrow

New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) The 13th India-Vietnam Joint Commission meeting will be held here tomorrow to review bilateral relations and renew co-operation in areas including trade and economy, investment, science and technology, aviation, tourism and education.

Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, who arrived here yesterday on a four-day official visit, will co-chair the Joint Commission meeting.

The visit, at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, aims at strengthening bilateral relations and co-operation between the two countries, officials said here today.

The two sides will also adopt the Vietnam-India Action Plan for 2007-2009.

Mr Pham Gia Khiem will have a meeting with the External Affairs Minister tomorrow which will be followed by the Joint Commission Meeting.

Later, the two countries will sign the agreed minutes of the 13th Session of the Joint Commission meeting.

The two countries, which are among the biggest cashew exporters in the world, signed an agreement last month to promote global cashew consumption.

India and Vietnam have also entered into an agreement for setting up a steel mill in Vietnam. The 525 million dollar joint venture between the Essar Group and the Vietnam Steel Corporation, is expected to be completed by 2009.

UNI