Athens , 22 June 2009

Ms. Bakoyannis: It is a great pleasure for me to welcome Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Vietnam Mr. Phạm Gia Khiêm.

This visit in continuation of the visit of Vietnam's President, Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet, in June 2008 and the visit of President Papoulias to Hanoi in October of the same year is an indication of our increasing cooperation on a political and economic level, and an indication that this cooperation will become even closer. 

In 2010, we will celebrate 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Vietnam has an important role to play in peace, stability and development in Southeast Asia.

In proof of that, it plays a dynamic role both as a member of the ASEAN Organisation – whose Chairmanship it will hold next year – and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Today, we had a very interesting discussion that covered a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues, from the world financial crisis to the deepening of our bilateral relations. 

I briefed Mr. Khiem on issues of particular interest to Greece, the name issue for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greek-Turkish relations, illegal migration. We will now discuss the Cyprus issue and initiatives that we have undertaken within the framework of our Chairmanship of the OSCE.

On an economic and development level, we share the view that we can  strengthen our cooperation.

A business meeting will be held today at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and I believe it will be useful and constructive. Dear Mr. Khiem, thank you for your visit and yesterday’s participation in the inauguration of the Acropolis Museum, which I am sure has made your visit worthwhile, and I wish you a pleasant stay in Athens.

Mr. Khiem: Thank you, Madam. Ladies and gentlemen, I am so pleased to make my first official visit to Greece and am deeply impressed with the warm hospitality that Madam Foreign Minister extended to me and my delegation.

I am convinced that the outcome of the visit will be to strengthen the friendship and close cooperation between Vietnam and Greece.

I am delighted to tell you that Madam Minister and I have just had a candid, open and fruitful discussion. We agreed on the remarkable progress met in bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on international and regional affairs. And we also discussed the measures, the solutions to promote our relations in the years to come. I am very much impressed by the socio-economic achievement and the important role played by Greece in Europe and the world in recent years.

So much that Madam Minister expressed her commitment to further support Vietnam in its reforms, as well as its relation with the EU.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and committed to a close, good relation in international forums. Madam Minister and I have just witnessed the friendship between the two nations, and the two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of education, training, culture and tourism.

I am thankful to the government of Greece for the two scholarships for Vietnamese students in language training, and the plan to grant another four scholarships in the time to come.

On this occasion I would like to inform you that the government of Vietnam decided to open a Vietnamese Embassy in Greece, and we now prepare all the conditions for opening the Embassy in Greece soon.

Ladies and gentlemen, I strongly believe that the outcome of the talk conducted in the atmosphere of friendship, mutual understanding and trust is the most important contribution to making Vietnam-Greece relations deeper and more comprehensive, in the interests of the two peoples, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in Asia, Europe and the world over. I thank you for your attention. Thank you.

Journalist: Mr. Khiem, as a directly interested partner due to its position on the Security Council, how does Vietnam see the efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue? Whether it sees progress being made soon on the resolution of the Cyprus issue within the framework of the UN.

And Madam Minister, a question off today’s agenda. Mr. Nimetz is holding talks today in Geneva with the negotiators from the two sides. What does Athens expect from this, and is a meeting being scheduled between you and your FYROM counterpart, Mr. Milososki, in Corfu?

Mr. Khiem: We are very interested in the Cyprus issue, and we share your concerns. I think that the Cyprus issue should be resolved in the framework of the UN, and we will respect the resolution of the UN on this issue. Thank you.

Ms. Bakoyannis: The negotiations are in fact starting up again today. Mr. Nimetz invited the negotiators from Greece and Skopje to Geneva. Mr. Vassilakis has precisely the same instructions – you know Greece’s positions. Greece’s positions are clear. We are pursuing an agreement on a mutually acceptable name for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, based on the principles that we have made known to all of our friends and partners for some time now.

I hope the Skopje political leadership come to the table in a different mindset than in the past and, like us, seek a name that is mutually acceptable. This is of great importance for the people of Skopje. They have received the message from everyone, all of the EU and NATO governments. I hope that they come to these negotiations in a different political mindset.

As for a meeting with Mr. Milososki, Mr. Milososki requested to meet with me in Corfu. The schedule for Corfu is particularly heavy, as you know. I will try to see Mr. Milososki. I hope our schedules will work out.