President Peres warmly received in Vietnam

Peres meets Vietnamese counterpart President Tan Sang, signs financial protocol meant to increase bilateral trade.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
Peres and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang 311 (photo credit: Mark Neyman/GPO)
Peres and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang 311
(photo credit: Mark Neyman/GPO)
Plaudits are part and parcel of state visits. It is customary for the hosting and visiting heads of state to exchange pleasantries and compliments during official visits. The purpose of the exercise is, after all, to strengthen bilateral ties.
Israel's much traveled President Shimon Peres has frequently been flattered by presidents, prime ministers, royalty, and even a Pope or two, but seldom to the extent of the warm welcome that he was given by Vietnam's President Truong Tan Sang, with whom he held a work meeting following a colorful full scale ceremonial reception with large military honor guard on his arrival in Hanoi.
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As they sat together in the Presidential Palace discussing strategic cooperation, President Sang declared his deep, personal admiration for Peres and for the state of Israel.
"This is an opportunity to open a new chapter in our relationship," said Sang, who made it clear that Vietnam is eager to deepen cooperation with Israel in the fields of technology, science, energy, security, communications, infrastructure, medicine and agriculture. "We look on Israel as a miracle," said Sang.
Sang thanked Peres for the hundreds of scholarships offered by Israel to enable Vietnamese researchers to study and receive training in Israel. Their accumulated knowledge, said Sang, had been translated into benefits for Vietnam's economy and had improved the standards of Vietnam's scientific research. Peres responded that Israel is willing to significantly increase the number of Vietnamese scientists who can come to Israel to further their studies.
Acknowledging the quality of Israel's professionalism and the advantages that Israel has in scientific and technological innovation, Sang told Peres: "I strongly believe that your visit will create a new platform for strengthening the ties between us."
Sang spoke of Vietnam's flourishing economy and the trade markets that it is developing, and urged Israeli companies and individuals to invest in Vietnam and benefit from growth and the favorable terms enjoyed by foreign investors.
Peres, who was accompanied by a large business delegation of experts in defense industries, communications, finance, high tech, water technologies, and agriculture, spoke of Israel's great respect for Vietnam and the Vietnamese people, who have endured harsh and difficult wars but are now looking to the future with the aim of building a strong and progressive society.
Noting Vietnam's fertile land and abundance of water, Peres said that these two advantages, combined with Israeli technological know-how and experience, can be the foundations for a new infrastructure of cooperation and will enable increased food production for East Asia.
As he does in all his meetings with foreign dignitaries, especially representatives of developing countries, Peres stressed that among the greatest challenges of the era is the provision of food. Peres believes that hunger is currently one of the worst scourges of the 21st century and that everything possible must be done to remedy the situation.  In his view, the solution lies in science and technology because the world cannot expand its territory.
Following the meeting, a financial protocol was signed between the two countries whereby both governments: provide loan guarantees, preferred interest rates, and fast procedures for companies involved in different projects within the protocol; offer a credit line of up to $100 million which can be increased by bilateral agreement; and facilitate the transfer of technology from Israel to Vietnam on the basis of Export Insurance for Israeli exporters.
According to the Israel Export Institute, Israeli exports to Vietnam have tripled in recent years; at the beginning of 2011 exports reached $250 million and imports from Vietnam at the end of 2010 reached $131.9 million.