Receiving the visiting ICRC Vice President, Jacques Forster, President Triet expressed his pleasure at the fine relationship between the ICRC and the Vietnamese government and praised the ICRC official's contributions to Viet Nam's humanitarian activities.

The President stressed the Vietnamese people always want to live in peace and are working hard to develop their country. Viet Nam commits itself to contributing to the strengthening and development of the International Humanitarian Law.

He said a regional symposium on the Law to be held by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and the ICRC in Ha Noi on Nov. 30 was a manifestation of Viet Nam's concern and wish to contribute to peace and stability in the region and the world.

President Triet expressed wish that the ICRC and other international and humanitarian organisations would further their support and assistance to Viet Nam's humanitarian activities, especially to Agent Orange/dioxin victims. He said Vietnamese agencies would be ready to cooperate with the ICRC in disseminating information on the International Humanitarian Law.

ICRC Vice President Forster thanked the Vietnamese government for its support to his organisation and its Bangkok representative office. He said the Viet Nam Red Cross and the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs have closely cooperated with the ICRC and its representative office in humanitarian activities in Viet Nam.

He expressed wish to further exchange information and cooperate with Vietnamese authorised agencies in humanitarian issues./.