Rabat, Nov, 19 (VNA) - Morocco supports Viet Nam's bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), said Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou in his talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on Thursday during the latter's official visit to Morocco.

The two PMs informed each other of the situation in their respective countries and discussed measures to further develop friendship and multifaceted cooperation in the 21st century. They also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.

PM Khai reiterated Viet Nam's unchanged foreign policy: to be a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the international community striving for peace, independence and development. Viet Nam, with its foreign policy of diversification and multilateralisation, attaches great importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with African countries, including Morocco. Viet Nam supports Morocco's initiatives to expand negotiations and cooperative relations with countries inside and outside the region.

PM Driss Jettou praised the great achievements obtained by the Vietnamese people in national industrialisation and modernisation, and wished the Vietnamese even greater achievements in socio-economic development and national construction in order to attain the goal of a rich people, a strong country, and a fair, democratic and civilised society.  

The PM asserted that Morocco attached importance to boosting friendship and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries including Viet Nam. He highlighted Viet Nam's successful organisation of the seminar on Viet Nam-Africa relations, and the 5th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 5).

The two PMs expressed their satisfaction at the encouraging development of the two countries' friendship and multifaceted cooperation in the recent past. They affirmed their countries' determination to raise the fine relationship to a new height in the 21st century in the interest of the two peoples, for peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

Later, at the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, the two Prime Ministers held expanded talks.

The two sides held that Morocco can be a bridge for Vietnamese goods to enter the EU, the US and the North African bloc while Viet Nam can also be a bridge for Moroccan goods to enter ASEAN and Asia.

Prime Minister Khai emphasised Viet Nam's intention to open its embassy in Morocco, and expressed his wish that Morocco open its embassy in Viet Nam soon.

While highlighting the significance of the signing of the agreements on this occassion, the two PMs committed themselves to an early establishment of a joint-governmental committee in order to make their cooperation stable and effective.

The Moroccan PM accepted the Vietnamese PM's invitation to visit Viet Nam in early 2005, saying that he hoped the two countries could sign an agreement on investment encouragement and protection and another on avoidance of double taxation during that visit.

The two sides also exchanged views on matters of mutual concern, expressing their hope of furthering exchanges of information and collaboration at international forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.

They also agreed that PM Khai's visit to Morocco is of historic significance because it is the first by a Vietnamese PM since the two countries set up diplomatic relations, thus bringing the two countries' ties to a new height of development.

On Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Khai visited the city of Casablanca.

In the evening, Prime Minister Driss Jettou hosted a banquet in honour of the Vietnamese PM and his entourage.

PM Driss Jettou emphasised that the signing of the two important cooperation agreements on trade and fishing serves as an impressive starting point to steer the two countries towards great prospects for joint cooperation.

He noted with pleasure that a legal foundation for the two countries' relations has been strengthened with the signing of the cooperation accords and protocols during the visit.

The Moroccan PM expressed his belief that these agreements will pave the way for the two countries to expand their cooperation in all areas to tap the potential of their respective human and natural resources.

He also asserted his desire and determination to build a strong economic partnership with Viet Nam, which will help promote Vietnamese businesses' presence in Africa, and in return, Moroccan businessmen' s presence in Southeast Asia.

In reply, Prime Minister Khai stated that pursuing an external policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralisation and international economic integration, Viet Nam has thus far established diplomatic ties with over 170 countries and economic and trade links with more than 160 countries and territories.

He said Viet Nam is working hard in negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2005.

In the spirit of being a friend and reliable partner of countries in the international community for peace, independence and development, Viet Nam has placed importance and wants to boost friendship and cooperation in various fields with African countries, including Morocco, thus contributing to boosting South-South cooperation as well as Asia-Africa cooperation, PM Khai stressed.

He said, "In the context that globalisation is taking place strongly in various parts of the world with a lot of opportunities and challenges, the two countries should do everything possible to unceasingly strengthen and raise friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation to a new level in the interest of the two peoples and contributing to build the world of peace, fairness and development.