Koizumi vows to maintain Vietnam aid<\/p>\n
Steve Kirby, Agence France-Presse, Hanoi<\/p>\n
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has wrapped up a
\nweekend visit to Vietnam, pledging to protect Tokyo's large aid
\nprogram here from budget cuts, but rebuffing Hanoi's calls for
\nearly trade talks.<\/p>\n
Koizumi insisted the two governments should complete an
\ninvestment agreement safeguarding Japan's commercial interests
\nhere before tackling the thorny issue of access for Vietnamese
\ngoods, a senior aide told reporters.<\/p>\n
Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai agreed to complete the
\ninvestment talks launched last month by the end of the year, the
\nofficial said.<\/p>\n
\"The Vietnamese prime minister wished to have a bilateral
\nagreement not only on investment but also on trade.<\/p>\n
\"We said first it was better to conclude our negotiations for
\nan investment treaty, and then maybe after that there would be a
\nwider range of fields in which we would be able to cooperate.<\/p>\n
\"(Khai) said Vietnam wishes to conclude negotiations within
\nthis year.\"<\/p>\n
Like the European Union, Japan has been keen to ensure that
\nits firms suffer no disadvantage as a result of a landmark 2000
\ntrade deal between Vietnam and former foe the United States.<\/p>\n
But it has been reluctant to follow Washington down the trade
\nagreement path because of the thorny issue of agriculture.<\/p>\n
Vietnam is the world's second biggest exporter of rice and a
\nsignificant supplier of other agricultural commodities, creating
\na direct conflict with Japan's highly protected domestic farm
\nsector.<\/p>\n
The Japanese official insisted Koizumi's rejection of early
\ntalks did not imply any principled objection to a trade deal with
\nany southeast Asian country.<\/p>\n
\"It is true that generally speaking we have very large
\nproblems in the agricultural field... We have to surmount the
\ndifficulties which we face.\"<\/p>\n
In its agenda for the visit, Tokyo had touted the Vietnam
\ninvestment deal as the \"first concrete step\" towards a
\n\"comprehensive economic partnership\" with southeast Asia which
\nKoizumi launched in a five-nation tour of the region in January.<\/p>\n
But so far Japan has signed a trade agreement only with non-
\nfarming Singapore. Negotiations with Thailand are still at an
\nearly stage, the official acknowledged.<\/p>\n
Koizumi even gave \"no response\" to a request from Khai for
\ngreater interim access for Vietnam's three most important staples
\n-- rice, coffee and shrimps, the official said.<\/p>\n
But he promised Tokyo would \"continue or even increase\" its
\naid program here which accounts for more than 40 percent of all
\nofficial development assistance (ODA) to the communist state.<\/p>\n
Already last year, Tokyo insulated Vietnam from a 10 percent
\ncut to its overall aid budget, actually increasing its pledge for
\n2002 by eight percent.<\/p>\n
\"(But) Mr. Koizumi did not forget to insist on our
\ngovernment's wish that Japanese ODA money be used effectively,\"
\nthe official said.<\/p>\n
Japan is also Vietnam's biggest trade partner with two-way
\nexchanges totaling US$4.72 billion in 2001. Total registered
\ncapital of $5 billion made Japan Vietnam's third largest foreign
\ninvestor after Singapore and Taiwan.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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