During talks with president Giorgio Napolitano in Rome on December 10, Mr Triet said he hopes that Italy – the 7^th biggest economy in the world – will increase its economic, trade and investment in Vietnam, and serve as a bridge for Vietnam to penetrate into Europe.

He assured his host that Vietnam will help Italy expand economic and trade ties with other countries in Southeast Asia as it chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2010.

Mr Triet thanked the Italian government and people for their heart-felt support for Vietnam during the past struggle for national independence and unification and the current process of national construction and Doi Moi (Renewal).

For his part, President Napolitano welcomed Mr Triet’s first State visit to Italy and expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s Renewal and integration achievements. He said Vietnam has maintained socio-political stability and achieved relatively high economic growth despite the global financial and economic turmoil.

Italy attaches great importance to promoting multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, said President Napolitano, adding that more and more Italian businesses are keen to invest in the Southeast Asian nation.

He praised Vietnam’s increasing role in Asia and the world, and hoped Vietnam and Italy will work closely together to strengthen ASEAN-EU relations. He affirmed that Italy supports Vietnam in Partnership and Cooperation Agreement negotiations with the EU, and that the two countries should increase cooperation at the UN Security Council, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

He congratulated Vietnam on fulfilling its duties as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and said he believes that the country will successfully carry out its ASEAN chairmanship in 2010.

Both host and guest expressed their pleasure at the fruitful cooperation in various areas between the two countries and underscored the need to strengthen economic, trade and investment ties to match their great potential.

They agreed to create favourable conditions for their businesses to explore and invest in each other's countries, especially in industry, infrastructure construction and energy.

President Napolitano voiced Italy’s desire to increase cooperation with Vietnam in education-training, culture, science and technology. He said he supports cooperation between the two countries’ universities and Italy is ready to run courses for Vietnamese business managers.

The two presidents briefed reporters on the result of their talks in Rome

President Triet welcomed the resumption of the Joint Committee for Development and Cooperation to implement development projects in priority areas such as health care, the environment and assistance to small- and medium-sized enterprises. He said he values cultural cooperation between the two countries, including events to promote cultures in Vietnam and Italy.

Presidents Triet and Napolitano compared notes on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including anti-terrorism, nuclear disarmament, climate change, environmental protection and regional conflicts.

They agreed that Vietnam and Italy will work closer together and support each other in regional and international forums in the interest of the two countries and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in Asia, Europe and other parts of the world.

President Triet invited President Napolitano to visit Vietnam and the invitation was accepted with pleasure. The visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

President Triet began an official visit to Italy on December 9 at the invitation of President Giorgio Napolitano.