1/ Background information:

Vietnam and Israel established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1993. Israel opened its resident Embassy in Hanoi in December 1993 with D. Matnai appointed as the first Ambassador to Vietnam. Vigorous efforts have been devoted by both sides to enhancing mutual understanding and deepening the bilateral cooperative relations, especially in agriculture, water resources and health services. In 2000, Israeli Prime Minister invited his Vietnamese counterpart to visit Israel and the latter accepted the invitation in principle.

Israel has usually taken the initiative in promoting its relations with Vietnam by sponsoring many short-term training programs for Vietnamese agriculturalists, meteorologists, health experts, trade union members, and scientists, with more than 220 scholarships granted to date. Israel has also dispatched many specialists to Vietnam to give in-service training to their Vietnamese colleagues, especially in agriculture. With regard to humanitarian and philanthropic assistance, Israel donated 5,000 US dollars and 200 kg of medicines to Vietnamese victims to help them overcome the aftermath of the disastrous floods in 1995 and 1997. Israel also extended healthcare aids to Vietnam in terms of facilities and free-of-charge eye operations for the disadvantaged in the mountainous Northern Vietnam from 2004 to 2005. In terms of economic cooperation, Israeli businessmen have shown considerable interest in Vietnam and organized many business trips to the country to explore investment opportunities in agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, oil and gas exploitation and production, telecommunications, and pharmacy. The two-way trade turnover has witnessed a steady increase over the past few years, reaching 70 million US dollars in 2005. Two Israeli corporations, namely Agronet and Astraco, have established their representative offices in Hanoi.

2/ Exchanges of delegation:

From Israel to Vietnam:

- 1992: Delegation of the Asian Chamber of Commerce.

-December 1992: Delegation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

- March 1993: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation led by Deputy Minister Joseph Hadass.

- November 1995: Chairman of the External Department of the Labor Party.

- January 1996: Minister of Finance.

- June 1997: Minister of Post and Telecommunications.

- August 1997: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture.

- August 2004: Minister of National Infrastructure.

- December 2005: Delegation of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Labor.

From Vietnam to Israel:

- May 1993: Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ngo The Dan.

- 12 July 1993: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dzy Nien. On this occasion, the Agreement on the Establishment of Bilateral Diplomatic Relations was signed.

- December 1994: Inter-ministerial delegation led by Deputy Minister of Industry Nguyen Minh Thong.

- March 1995: Vice Chairman of the Vietnam’s Communist Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Do Van Tai.

- April 1995: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tran Quang Co.

- 1999: Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan.

- November 2005: Deputy Minister of Trade Do Nhu Dinh to attend the 10th anniversary of the passing away of late Prime Minister Y. Rabin.

Concluded Agreements:

- Framework Agreement on Economic, Scientific and Agricultural Cooperation (24 January 1996).

- Agreement on Tourism Cooperation (24 January 1996).

- Agreement on Economic and Commercial Cooperation (25 August 2004).

- Agreement on Cooperation in Culture and Information (27 December 2005).

- Agreement on Aviation Transport Cooperation.

(6/2007)