Viet Nam and the United States need to strive more in trust-building process and elevation of bilateral co-operative ties, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the US Defence Secretary Leon Edward Panetta in Ha Noi yesterday.
Dung said to the aim, the US Government should totally lift the ban on selling weapons to Viet Nam, and work better in resolving war consequences.
He also appreciated positive development in the Viet Nam-US ties since the two countries normalised diplomatic relation in 1995. Dung said that Viet Nam always reckoned the US as a leading partner of great importance, and hoped the US - as an Asia Pacific power - would actively contribute to maintain peace, security, stability, co-operation and development in the region. Dung also said Viet Nam wanted to, together with the US, to elevate bilateral ties, particularly in terms of economics, trade, investment, science, technology, education and training. The country also expected to boost co-operation with the US in regional and global concerns, including anti-terrorism, trans-national crimes, non-proliferation of mass destruction weapons and the fight against climate change. In return, Panetta said the US Government attached importance in boosting ties with Viet Nam under its Asia-Pacific policy. He also expressed his wish to expand co-operation between the two countries on various aspects, especially in security and defence. Panetta, who ended his two-day visit to Viet Nam yesterday, said he hoped the two nations would actively enact the Memorandum of Understanding on defense co-operation signed by the two defense ministries last year. The US Government also wanted the two sides to elevate the bilateral ties for the mutual benefit, he said. Also yesterday, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hold talks with Panetta. The two sides discussed matters of mutual and regional concerns. The guest introduced the US new defence strategies, with a focus on enhancing co-operation with Asia Pacific and Southeast Asian countries, including Viet Nam. The two sides also affirmed to broaden co-operation on matters such as safety and security in the East Sea and water conservation and sustainable development of the Mekong River. Defence ministers talk Yesterday at talks with Panetta, Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh said his counterpart's visit would contribute to promoting friendly relations between the two countries. Panetta expressed his conviction that his visit to the country would be a success. During their meeting, the two sides agreed that bilateral relationships between the two ministries have been built on the basis of full respect for respective independence, autonomy and sovereignty in the spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding. They agreed that the partnership and long-term co-operation on national defence and security were for the benefit of both Viet Nam and the US as well as for the region. The two ministers also agreed that the deepening relationships between the two ministries would help improve international relations, strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries and consolidate peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region. They agreed to establish a regular dialogue mechanism between the two ministries, co-operate in search and marine rescue efforts, disaster relief and security and maritime safety, exchange visits between the two armies and information sharing on Vietnamese and US soldiers still missing in action and other issues of mutual concern. The two parties agreed that the relationship between Vietnamese and US Defence Ministries would not be detrimental to the security of neighbouring countries.— 
