The agreement was reached during talks and meetings between Vietnamese leaders and the Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Joao Gomes Cravinho, who visited Vietnam on April 7-9.

Mr Cravinho paid a courtesy visit to Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem and held talks with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Cuong. He also met with senior officials from the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Industry and Trade, Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Both parties agreed to conclude negotiations and sign a number of agreements on double tax avoidance, investment promotion and protection, and scientific and technological cooperation.

They also agreed to consider a tripartite agreement between Vietnam, Portugal and Portuguese-speaking African countries.

Mr Cravinho praised Vietnam’s development achievements and said that Portugal is more than willing to take part in Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary celebrations.

The Vietnamese officials thanked Portugal for supporting Vietnam’s initiatives that will be submitted to the 9th Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for May 25-26, 2009, in Hanoi.

During his stay in Hanoi, Mr Cravinho visited the Portuguese Faculty of Hanoi National University.