Ha Noi, Dec. 1 (VNA) - President Tran Duc Luong on Wednesday warmly welcomed Tanzanian President Benjamin William MKapa and said the visit is a vivid manifestation of the quality of the traditional and co-operative ties between Viet Nam and Tanzania.

President Benjamin William MKapa expressed his delight in visiting Viet Nam and admiration for the Vietnamese people’s heroic struggle for independence and freedom in the past, as well as achievements in  national construction and development at present. He said Viet Nam sets a bright example for developing countries, especially those in Africa.

The visiting President highly applauded Viet Nam’s role and position in the region, the Non-Aligned Movement and the world. He also expressed his desire to further promote traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation with Viet Nam, particularly in the economic- trade area.

President Luong briefed his counterpart on Viet Nam’s socio-economic situation as well as its progresses in the process of national industrialisation and modernisation.

Mentioning foreign policies, Luong stressed that while implementing the international relation diversification and multilateralisation policy, Viet Nam attaches importance to strengthening and developing co-operative ties with traditional friends in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The relationship with Tanzania is of significance to Viet Nam, Luong said.

He also spoke highly of the fine sentiments the Tanzanian President and people have had towards the Vietnamese people in the struggle for national independence in the past and in the national construction and development subsequently. Both Viet Nam and Tanzania are developing countries and members of the Non-Aligned Movement, they thus can mutually assist and cooperate in national construction and development.

Host and guest expressed pleasure at the fine development of the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries and exchanged views on measures to raise those relations to a new height for the benefit of the two people.

Luong congratulated Tanzania as it became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2005-06 term. He expressed his hope that Viet Nam would receive active support from Tanzania for Viet Nam's admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and candidacy for a  non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2008-09 term.

The two presidents also discussed international and regional issues of mutual concerns and agreed to boost coordination at international forums.

The Tanzanian President invited President Luong to visit his country. The invitation was accepted with pleasure.

After the talks, which took place in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding, the two presidents witnessed the signing of agreements on economic, commercial, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation between Viet Nam and Tanzania and on the establishment of a joint-governmental commission.

In the evening, the Tanzanian President and his entourage were feted by President Tran Duc Luong