Visiting Greek president offers to help boost Vietnam's exports to Europe

Greek President Karolos Papoulias and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Minh Triet witnessed the signing of investment promotion and energy cooperation agreements.

With bilateral trade between the countries a mere US$90 million last year, and Greece having virtually no investment in Vietnam, Triet said the two countries could do more to boost economic ties.

"There are many areas where the two countries can cooperate, including shipping, shipbuilding, tourism and agriculture," Triet said.

Papoulias said Greece could help Vietnam boost its exports to Europe.

"Greece can become a gateway for Vietnam's products to enter Europe, the Middle East, Mediterranean and the Black Sea areas," he said.

Papoulias, the first Greek president to visit Vietnam since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1975, praised the Vietnamese people for their struggle for independence.

"They have become a symbol of the struggle against colonialists in the 20th century," he said.

Papoulias was originally scheduled to also meet Monday with 97-year-old Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, who masterminded the defeat of the French and then the Americans, but the meeting was canceled because the general needed to rest, his office said.

He is expected to meet Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh and chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Greek president, who arrived in Hanoi over the weekend, is scheduled to tour Vietnam's ancient capital of Hue in the central region before departing Thursday.

Vietnam and Greece have exchanged high-level visits in recent years with Triet's visit to Greece in June and the visit by Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis in 2007.

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