BY RAYNALD C RIVERA

DOHA: Vietnamese Ambassador Phung The Long lauded the growing bilateral relations between Vietnam and Qatar amid development in both countries as he addressed foreign diplomats during a reception yesterday to commemorate his country’s 64th National Day.

In recent years, bilateral relations have taken a significant leap with the visit of Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani to Vietnam in 2007 and 2008, the visit of Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Qatar this year and a number of exchange visits.

“More than ten agreements and memoranda have been signed. These documents created a framework for the multi-faceted cooperation and brought our relationship to a new height,” Ambassador Long said, adding in the next months Qatar will be opening its mission in Vietnam – an added impetus to the warm relations between the two countries.

The visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in March this year further bolstered the already cordial relations between the two countries with the signing of several agreements, including on reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, avoidance of double taxation and air transport.

In addition, a couple of memoranda of understanding on agricultural and investment cooperation were also signed.

Ambassador Long said the bilateral trade volume in 2009 is expected to double that of 2008 and triple that of 2007.

Bilateral trade has taken a big leap to reach an estimated $100m annually, increasing 300 percent from $33m two years ago. Vietnam is also poised to set up in Qatar the biggest Vietnam Trade Center in the GCC in the near future.

“In the past 20 years, due to implementing innovation policy, Vietnam has obtained significant achievements in the domestic and external affairs, which include socio-political stability, a 7.5 percent annual average growth economy, a deep and broad integration into the region and the world,” the Ambassador said.

He also lauded Vietnam’s participation in the global community and its contribution to the promotion of world peace and development.

“In January 2010, Vietnam will assume the Presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an organisation with an increasingly important role in the region and in the world,” he revealed.

Expressing his gratitude to the host country, the Ambassador thanked the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Qatari government and its people for providing favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community. The event was also attended by the Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Saad bin Ibrahim Al Mahmoud.