Vietnam to ink agreements on culture, shipping, agriculture

New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will arrive in India on July 4 on a three-day state visit to take bilateral ties, especially trade and economic partnership, to a new height.

During his stay, various agreements will be signed, including those on culture, agriculture, fisheries and marine products, shipping and mutual assistance in legal matters, Vietnam's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to India Vu Quang Diem told a press conference at the Press Club of India here.

Coming at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as part of India's 'Look East' policy, Mr Nguyen will be accompanied by his wife, Tran Thi Tanh Kiem, 15 ministers and vice ministers, six leaders of various provinces, 40 officials and an 80-member business delegation.

''His first since he took over as Prime Minister last year, the visit will also see the signing of a joint declaration, to take the traditional ties between the two countries to a new height,'' Mr Vu said.

In cultural cooperation, the two sides will sign the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2007-09.

''We are also ready for cooperation in areas of oil, gas and coal,'' he said.

He said the two countries were working closely to increase the value of two-way trade from one billion US dollars in 2006 to two billion US dollars in 2010, and also reduce Vietnam's trade deficit that was more than 700 million US dollars last year.

On speeding up the negotiations for ASEAN-India Free Trade Area, he said plans would be finalised by this year-end.

Mr Nguyen will arrive in Kolkata on July 4. There he will lay a wreath at Ho Chi Minh memorial, meet Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and inaugurate an Indo-Vietnam Business Forum.

The delegation will also visit Tata Steel Complex in Jamshedpur.

The same evening, Mr Nguyen will leave for Mumbai to attend a dinner hosted by the Chairman of the Essar Group of Companies at Ruia House.

On July 5, the visiting Prime Minister and his delegation will have a breakfast meeting with CEOs of Indian companies in Mumbai, meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, visit Knowledge City and inaugurate another Indo-Vietnam Business Forum.

In the late afternoon, he will leave for Delhi. Later in the day he will visit Qutab Minar.

On July 6, he will visit Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

The same day he will also attend the official ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, call on President A P J Abdul Kalm and meet UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani and CPI and CPI (M) leaders.

In the evening, official talks between the two Prime Ministers and the delegations will be followed by the signing of agreements, the joint declaration and a banquet hosted by Dr Singh.

UNI