Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet met with former US President Bill Clinton

New York (VNA) – Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet met with former US
President Bill Clinton and his Filipino and Central African Republic counterparts
on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in
New York on September 21.

During his meeting with Clinton , President Triet applauded the CGI’s
contributions to the UN and nations worldwide, including Vietnam , regarding
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The President also spoke highly of
Clinton ’s role in normalising and enhancing Vietnam-US relations.

Clinton said that the US-Vietnam relationship is growing well and the two
countries have a foundation for stepping up cooperation for peace, stability and
development in the 21 st century. He confirmed that the Clinton Foundation
wants to continue supporting Vietnam in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The former US president expressed his appreciation of the warm hospitality the
Vietnamese people extended to him during his visit to Vietnam in 2001 as well
as to his wife, Hillary Clinton, when she visited the country last July. Clinton
congratulated the Vietnamese people on the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang
Long-Hanoi and said he wanted to revisit Vietnam .

Clinton established the CGI in 2005 and it is now an important forum, held
annually on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, attracting many leaders of
nations, businesses and international organisations to discuss global
challenges.

CGI members have pledged a total of 57 billion USD for 1,700 projects focusing on
protecting and improving forests, preventing malnutrition in children and
providing credit for small and medium-sized enterprises. The CGI has funded
activities to assist children with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam since 2005.

When talking with Philippine President Benigni Aquino III, President Triet hailed
the country’s recent achievements, especially its endeavours to overcome the
global financial and economic crisis and record a high growth rate in the first
months of 2010.

President Triet said friendly and cooperative relations have developed well with
the Philippines and the 35 th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2011 will see
the two nations review and promote their friendship.

The Philippine leader praised Vietnam ’s achievements in socio-economic
development and its improved position both regionally and internationally.

He said his country would cooperate closely, particularly with ASEAN members, to
contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Aquino said he wants to
visit Vietnam to advance bilateral friendship and cooperation.

When meeting with the president of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize
Yangouvonda, Triet said that both nations have many similarities and emphasised
that Vietnam is willing to work closer with the African country.

Yangouvonda said that the Central Africa Republic attaches great importance
to South-South cooperation and wants to step up relations with Vietnam ,
especially in agriculture, agricultural infrastructure and human resources
development.

The same day, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, who is
accompanying President Triet, held separate meetings with the Foreign Minister of
Bosnia and Herzegovina Sven Alkalai, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Mexico Lourdes
Aranda Bezaury, and US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.-Enditem







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