Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and visiting German ChancellorAngela Merkel agreed to establish a strategic partnership between thetwo nations during their talks in Hanoi on Oct. 11.

At the talks, PM Dung and Chancellor Merkel also discussed a widerange of measures to boost bilateral cooperation, especially ineconomics, investment, education and training.

Chancellor Merkel spoke highly of Vietnam ’s socio-economicdevelopment achievements, especially in poverty reduction and infulfilling many UN Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, aswell as the country’s increasing position in the international arena.

The leaders agreed to increase the exchange of delegations at alllevels and set up a Vietnam-Germany strategic monitoring group chairedby leaders of the Foreign Ministries, to boost the effective andpractical implementation of strategic cooperative contents.

They also agreed to actively implement prioritised economiccooperation projects, including building Metro Route No. 2 and GermanHouse in Ho Chi Minh City .

Chancellor Merkelsaid Germany will continue support for Vietnam to enhancecomprehensive ties with the European Union and to gain its recognitionof Vietnam as a market economy. Germany will also back Vietnamin its negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU, sheadded.

The German Chancellor vowed to continueproviding official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam ,focusing on environmental protection, response to climate change,vocational training and health care.

Germanywill provide more than 400 million USD in ODA and preferential loans fordevelopment cooperation projects in Vietnam , she said.

Regarding educational cooperation, Germany pledged to continuesupport for the building of the Vietnam-Germany University , as wellas increase scholarships and create favourable conditions for Vietnamesepostgraduates in Germany . Meanwhile, Vietnam will facilitatethe teaching of the German language at high schools.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and mutual supportat multilateral forums and international organisations. Vietnam isready to serve as a bridge for Germany to strengthen ties with ASEANcountries.

After the talks, the two sides signed anumber of documents, including the Hanoi Joint Declaration:Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership for Future; and agreements betweenthe Vietnamese and German Governments on the building of the GermanHouse in Ho Chi Minh City and financial cooperation in 2010; and aLetter of Intent between the two Ministries of Justice on continuinglegal and judiciary cooperation.

Later, PM Dung and his German counterpart had a meeting with the press on the results of their talks.

On the same day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was received byNational Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, who affirmed that theVietnamese NA will do its utmost to boost the strategic partnershipbetween the two countries for the interests of both sides as well as forpeace and stability in the world.

The VietnameseNA is willing to cooperate closely with the German Parliament and createfavourable conditions for cooperation programmes between the twoGovernments, Hung said.

For her part, Merkel said that the German Parliament wants to strengthen cooperation with the Vietnamese NA.

The German Government wishes to expand investment and cooperationprogrammes in Vietnam , she said, adding that the establishment ofthe Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership will facilitate cooperationbetween the two parliaments.

Later on the day, PM Dung hosted a banquet for the Germany Chancellor and her entourage.

During her two-day visit to Vietnam, German Chancellor Angela Merkelcalled at the Braun Company and Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam(Temple of Literature), known as the first university of Vietnam./.