First published by Ohmynews on 2006-11-18 16:48 (KST)
Sideline meetings held to discuss North Korea and Iraq
Air Force One landed at Noi Bai International Airport Friday morning local time, bringing the U.S. president, his wife, and a high-ranking U.S. delegation to Hanoi, beginning the four-day official visit to Vietnam.
George W. Bush is the second U.S. president to visit Vietnam, after Bill Clinton came here six years ago, since the two former adversaries established diplomatic relations in 1995.
On Friday afternoon, after a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Bush had talks with Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Vietnamese Communist Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
On Friday, the two sides issued a joint statement, in which Bush applauded the historic milestone of Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization. He also reiterated his firm support for congressional approval at the earliest time possible of permanent normal trading relations, a bill he had hoped to bring to Vietnam this time but failed in the Lower House vote Monday.
According to Bush himself, the visit is a sign to the world that two countries can reconcile a troubled past. "I guess my first reaction is, history has a long march to it, and that societies change, and relationships can constantly be altered to the good," Bush said.
Bush seems to be impressed by the warm welcome he has received from the Vietnamese people. He stopped to have a private talk with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung after the official one, a move which surprised all the participants.
When asked if there are any lessons from the Vietnam War that can be applied to the current conflict in Iraq. Bush avoided the bad situation in Iraq right now but pointed to Vietnam's emergence over decades from a nation scarred by bloodshed, to a country with one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
This weekend will be a busy time for Bush in Hanoi. During his stay in Vietnam, Bush is not only participating in the activities under the framework of the 14th APEC Summit, he is also in sideline talks with other leaders of some of the 21 nations attending the summit, including Chinese, Russian and Australian leaders.
In the first sideline talk with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the two sides discussed the situation in Iraq. In the talk, Bush assured Howard that the recent Democratic Party victory in U.S. Congressional elections does not mean an abrupt shift in U.S. policy. Australia has been a close U.S. ally and a strong supporter of the war on terrorism, especially in the Afghanistan and Iraq war. Hundreds of Australian troops are currently serving with coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We'll succeed, unless we quit. The Maliki government is going to make it, unless the coalition leaves before they have a chance to make it. And that's why I assured the [Australian] prime minister we'll get the job done," said Bush.
Bush is also having talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President of the Republic of Korea Roh Moo Hyun in Hanoi to discuss the North Korean nuclear program on Saturday. On Sunday, he will have talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin before flying to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to visit the City Securities Trading Center, Pasteur Institute and the History Museum.
Bush will fly to Indonesia next Monday for an official visit.
Sideline meetings held to discuss North Korea and Iraq
Air Force One landed at Noi Bai International Airport Friday morning local time, bringing the U.S. president, his wife, and a high-ranking U.S. delegation to Hanoi, beginning the four-day official visit to Vietnam.
George W. Bush is the second U.S. president to visit Vietnam, after Bill Clinton came here six years ago, since the two former adversaries established diplomatic relations in 1995.
On Friday afternoon, after a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Bush had talks with Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, Vietnamese Communist Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
On Friday, the two sides issued a joint statement, in which Bush applauded the historic milestone of Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization. He also reiterated his firm support for congressional approval at the earliest time possible of permanent normal trading relations, a bill he had hoped to bring to Vietnam this time but failed in the Lower House vote Monday.
According to Bush himself, the visit is a sign to the world that two countries can reconcile a troubled past. "I guess my first reaction is, history has a long march to it, and that societies change, and relationships can constantly be altered to the good," Bush said.
Bush seems to be impressed by the warm welcome he has received from the Vietnamese people. He stopped to have a private talk with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung after the official one, a move which surprised all the participants.
When asked if there are any lessons from the Vietnam War that can be applied to the current conflict in Iraq. Bush avoided the bad situation in Iraq right now but pointed to Vietnam's emergence over decades from a nation scarred by bloodshed, to a country with one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
This weekend will be a busy time for Bush in Hanoi. During his stay in Vietnam, Bush is not only participating in the activities under the framework of the 14th APEC Summit, he is also in sideline talks with other leaders of some of the 21 nations attending the summit, including Chinese, Russian and Australian leaders.
In the first sideline talk with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the two sides discussed the situation in Iraq. In the talk, Bush assured Howard that the recent Democratic Party victory in U.S. Congressional elections does not mean an abrupt shift in U.S. policy. Australia has been a close U.S. ally and a strong supporter of the war on terrorism, especially in the Afghanistan and Iraq war. Hundreds of Australian troops are currently serving with coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We'll succeed, unless we quit. The Maliki government is going to make it, unless the coalition leaves before they have a chance to make it. And that's why I assured the [Australian] prime minister we'll get the job done," said Bush.
Bush is also having talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President of the Republic of Korea Roh Moo Hyun in Hanoi to discuss the North Korean nuclear program on Saturday. On Sunday, he will have talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin before flying to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to visit the City Securities Trading Center, Pasteur Institute and the History Museum.
Bush will fly to Indonesia next Monday for an official visit.
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