Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung receives Belarusian Economic Minister Nikolai Snopkov, who is on a working visit to Viet Nam.—VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI (VNS) — Viet Nam and Belarus should speed up the implementation of their 2013-15 economic cooperation programmes and continue perfecting a legal foundation to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

The statement was made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a reception for Belarusian Economic Minister Nikolai Snopkov, who is on a working visit to Viet Nam.

Dung spoke of his delight at the fine development of their bilateral relations in many areas, especially in economics, trade, investment and science-technology, and proposed the two sides accelerate the implementation of the outcomes of the ninth session of the Viet Nam-Belarus Inter-governmental Committee.

The host went on to say that the two sides should implement their bilateral agreement on plant quarantine and sign an agreement on animal quarantine, paving the way for Viet Nam's goods to penetrate the Belarus market and creating favourable conditions for their enterprises to promote investment and trade.

He also called on Belarus to foster the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Viet Nam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Dung underscored that Viet Nam sees itself as working with Belarus to boost bilateral cooperation for the two nations' mutual development.

For his part, the Belarusian economic minister said he was impressed with Viet Nam's development, particularly when it came to maintaining economic growth and reducing poverty.

The guest affirmed that Belarus was willing to share its experiences in industrial equipment, automobiles, bridges and roads, chemicals and petrochemistry with Viet Nam while speeding up the FTA negotiations.

Nikolai Snopkov proposed that the two countries promote the establishment of joint ventures in automobile-related manufacturing, telecommunications, milk production and farm produce processing.

He expressed hope that Viet Nam would create conditions for Belarus to strengthen trade and investment ties with other members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations. — VNS