While receiving Hartmut Nassauer, Chairman of the European Parliament (EP)'s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and his entourage in Ha Noi on May 22, Chairman An also spoke highly of the role played by the EU, the EP and the European Commission (EC) as well as EU member countries.

He expressed his pleasure at the fine development of relations in politics, economy, trade, investment and culture between Viet Nam and the EU over the past 10 years.

The Vietnamese people are grateful to the people of EU member countries for their great support and effective official development assistance as well as for the EU's early conclusion with Viet Nam on World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations, he said.

The NA Chairman informed his guests of the situation in Viet Nam after 20 years of renewal, stressing that the recent 10th Congress of the Communist Party renewed the country's determination to bring its renewal process to a new height, to continue pursuing its open foreign policy, and to accelerate regional and international integration.

The Vietnamese leader applauded the fourth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP-4) Meeting's decision to organise exhibitions on higher education in the capital cities of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Viet Nam.

For his part, Nassauer, who is also Head of the EP's Mission for Relations with Southeast Asian and ASEAN Countries, affirmed that the EU and the EP will continue to assist Viet Nam in its renewal process and boost cooperation with the country.

However, the two sides should further increase dialogues to remove their different views for mutual understanding and trust, he said.

Expressing his impression of Viet Nam's socio-economic achievements, the EP official pledged to help the country step up socio-economic development, build a law-governed State, and improve people's living conditions.

The same day, the EP delegation held a working session with a delegation of the Vietnamese NA, headed by Ton Nu Thi Ninh, Vice Chairwoman of the NA's Committee for External Relations and President of the Viet Nam-European Parliamentarian' Friendship Group. (VNA)