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Vietnamese PM to meet with Bush, US official says

US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said yesterday that Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai will meet President George W. Bush on June 21 during the Vietnamese leader's historic trip to the US.

Khai's trip to the US will be the first by a Vietnamese leader in more than 30 years.

Zoellick, speaking at a press conferences during a brief visit to Vietnam, praised relations between the former foes, while acknowledging that the two nations shared a unique history.

"I hope that the relationship will continue to press on a fast pace, because while there are historical issues of significance and sensitivity, you also sense the strong bonds of friendship between the American and Vietnamese people," the deputy secretary said.

Although Khai announced the US trip during a state visit to Australia Thursday, until Zoellick's announcement yesterday, the US had declined to confirm the trip.

The US and Vietnam normalized relations nearly exactly 10 years ago, and Khai's visit is the first by a Vietnamese leader since the Vietnam War ended on 30th April 1975.

"It's a wonderful opportunity on the 10th year of normalization to have the prime minister visit and to review the topics that we have discussed today, but also informally to look to the future," Zoellick told reporters.

The two countries signed a bilateral trade agreement in 2001 and since then the US has shot into the lead as Vietnam's biggest trading partner.

Military ties between the former foes have never been closer, with last year's visit by Vietnam's defense minister to the US and the calling at Vietnamese ports of US warships.

"The momentum in the relationship has picked up considerably in the past few years," Zoellick said. "Even the list of topics I discussed today suggests there is a very broad and deep set of relations. Obviously economic ties are very important but this list includes a rich set of political and security issues too."

Zoellick arrived late Thursday night and yesterday morning met with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan and Minister for Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc.
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