Q: What is your opinion on Viet Nam - France relations in the recent past as well as in the future?

A: The relationship between the two countries has constantly developed. Since I took office here almost one and a half years ago, I have witnessed and contributed to a fast and diverse development of the "traditional friendship, long-term and comprehensive cooperation" as committed to by leaders of the two countries.

Not only words but action has said it all as reflected in regular exchanges of high-ranking visits. They included visits to France by the then Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu in May 2000, State President Tran Duc Luong in October 2002, and a Viet Nam visit by French President Jacques Chirac in October 2004. The upcoming visit to France by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh will add to the milestones that have marked the two nations' history and contributed to boosting bilateral relations and better tapping the two nations' potentials in the interest of their own people.

The recent establishment of partnership has paved a foundation for the two countries to trust each other in discussing issues of regional and global security and consult each other at international forums.

France is a leading European partner of Viet Nam. It ranks sixth out of the 66 foreign investors in Viet Nam with almost 200 businesses making commitments of 2.1 billion Euros, of which 1.7 billion Euros was disbursed into 141 projects.

French investors focused on the heavy industry, transport, telecommunications and post services, which are vital to Viet Nam's economy. France's commitment in official development assistance (ODA) has been constinuously increasing by the year, which was marked by its commitment to 334 million Euros made at a donors conference in December 2004, trebling the previous year's figure.

Bilateral trade increased 10 percent in revenues in each of the past five years to 1.2 billion Euros last year.

France is a major venue for Vietnamese students, the number of whom increased to 3,200 in the 2003-04 school year from 1,200 in 1999-2000.

France is also one of the most active partners of Viet Nam in culture and arts, which has been marked by France's strong assistance in organising Hue festivals over the past years. I myself have attended a number of worshops and talks about Viet Nam, visited many trade fairs, exhibitions and film festivals, which Viet Nam was invited to as Guest of Honour. The Viet Nam Expo-2005 to take place in Paris from June 15-19 will be the largest event in economics, trade, culture and tourism Viet Nam has ever held in France so far. The two countries are also working on a project to display Cham culture, Viet Nam's ethnic minority group, in Paris in the fourth quarter of this year.

Viet Nam's open-door policy has helped push up bilateral cooperation between local administrations and industries rather than from simply those at the central level. So far, 40 localities from the two countries have been working together on many projects in different fields, ranging from education to urban planning, economic development, agriculture, tourism, environment, healthcare and national heritage conservation.

Cooperation with Viet Nam at local levels has been considered by the French party a model. The two countries have held five meetings on such a cooperation since 1996. The sixth conference on this topic to be held in Hue on June 15-17 will also be the first to take place in Viet Nam. High on the agenda of the event is to review the results of the cooperation and discuss measures for closer coordination and greater success.

Viet Nam prioritises relations with France, placing it high in Europe's external policy.

Q: Could you tell us about Viet Nam's position in France's foreign policy?

A: Viet Nam plays a significant role in France's foreign policy due to its cultural and historical factors, potential and its rising position of the renewal path in the region and the world at large. It is not by chance that France, as a western nation, clarified its relationship with Viet Nam in 1989 and that the French President Francois Mitterand became the first western head of state to visit Viet Nam in 1993, beginning a process of lifting the blockade and embargo against Viet Nam.

Viet Nam is France's biggest Asian partner receiving around 10 million EUR each year through scientific and technological cooperation from France. Viet Nam is among the few countries that have enjoyed three channels of France's aid and the seventh nation receiving France's official development assistance with almost 1 billion EUR for more than 200 projects. The figures can partly explain Viet Nam's position in France's foreign policy.

Viet Nam is a place reflecting the influences of the French culture and language in Asia. Cultural similarities left by history and the two peoples' friendly relations are good foundations for France's presence there. The Viet Nam-France relations have not only been limited within the bilateral framework, but have expanded in multilateral framework such as the United Nations, the Francophone community, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) dialogue, and the EU-ASEAN relations. To further cooperative ties, France and Viet Nam are playing a positive role in the above-said forums, thus contributing to enhancing mutual understanding for peace, stability, and development. France has also backed Viet Nam in the development of its relations with African nations, including a tripartite cooperation model, a new one of north-south cooperation.

Q: There are many great events for the Vietnamese people in 2005 such as the 30th anniversary of the liberation of southern Viet Nam, the 115th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and the 60th anniversary of the National Day. Also in 2005, Viet Nam is invited to a number of exhibitions and fairs as an honorary guest and a number of high-ranking Vietnamese delegations will visit France. The Vietnamese State has presented medals and orders to French friends. What is your assessment of the sentiments of French people and those who supported Viet Nam in its past two struggles towards the Vietnamese people and renewal process?

A: It can be said that French progressive, peace and justice loving people played an outstanding role in the world's movement to support the Vietnamese people's struggle for justice, national freedom, independence and reunification. There were many deeds, examples of devotion and courage reflecting the international sentiment. The names such as Raymonde Dien, Henri Martin, Madeleine Riffaud, Charles Fourniau, Henri Van Regemorter, and Andre Menras have become familiar with the Vietnamese people. I am really touched when many French friends told us that their activities for Viet Nam are very "natural" and "normal" and that they themselves have to thank Viet Nam for helping them grow up in terms of political awareness. They are considered to belong to "Viet Nam's generation". The Vietnamese people always bear in mind and express their gratitude to the French friends' sentiments, goodwill support and assistance.

Since the national reunification, sympathising with the Vietnamese people over difficulties in national reconstruction and development, French friends working in different fields, living in different localities, and belonging to different organisations and associations, have continued their assistance to Viet Nam during the renewal process. They have helped the people and public opinion in France in particular, and Europe and the world in general, better understand about Viet Nam's situation and its renovation process. In addition, they have done many practical, useful and effective activities to help the Vietnamese people partly overcome the aftermath of the war through humanitarian projects on hunger eradication and poverty reduction, economic development, public health, culture, education and environmental protection. We welcomed and praised these good sentiments and good deeds.

The French friends who have been honoured with Friendship Medals and Orders and other awards by the Vietnamese State over the past years are among those oustanding friends. I believe that these French friends as well as localities, organisations, associations and people in general will further the friendly relations, cooperation and solidarity with the Vietnamese people in the coming time.