[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
[November 17, 2006]
[Pages 2096-2098]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Joint Statement by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the United 
States of America
November 17, 2006

    President Nguyen Minh Triet of the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam was pleased to welcome United States 
President George W. Bush to Vietnam. Looking back on the June 2005 Joint 
Statement by President Bush and then Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, both leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress 
the bilateral relationship has made, resulting in a U.S.-Vietnam 
relationship today that is multi-faceted and forward looking. It 
encompasses significant and growing trade and economic ties, an emerging 
military-to-military relationship, successful cooperation on health and 
development issues, growing cultural and educational links, a commitment 
to resolving remaining issues stemming from the war, a shared interest 
in ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, 
and frank and candid discussion of differences. The two sides reaffirmed 
their efforts to ensure that bilateral relations are stable, 
constructive, broad-based, and conducted on the basis of sovereign 
equality and mutual benefit.
    President Triet and President Bush 
applauded the historic milestone of Vietnam's accession to the World 
Trade Organization and President Bush reiterated his firm support for 
the earliest possible Congressional approval of Permanent Normal Trade 
Relations. President Triet confirmed that Vietnam would fully uphold the 
rules-based trading system embedded in the WTO and join other members in 
their efforts to create a level playing field based on fairness, 
openness, and transparency. He welcomed President Bush's assurances that 
the United

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States would maintain open access to the U.S. market and support 
Vietnam's process of integration with the world economy. The two leaders 
anticipated an even greater amount of bilateral trade and investment, 
benefiting the people of both nations. President Bush also welcomed the 
Vietnamese leadership's determination to accelerate the course of doi 
moi reforms, build the rule of law, and combat corruption, and held that 
such efforts are important for Vietnam's economic vitality and favorable 
business and investment climate. The two Presidents also looked forward 
to the signing of a Maritime Transport Agreement at an early date to 
further accelerate growth in our vibrant economic relationship.
    President Bush and President Triet 
discussed the growing cooperation between the United States and Vietnam 
to address regional and global concerns. President Bush welcomed 
Vietnam's active engagement in international affairs aimed at 
maintaining peace, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific 
region and the world, and noted his appreciation of Vietnam's support 
for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula and the consensus views of the UNSC 
as expressed in UNSCR 1718. President Triet welcomed the reconvening of 
the Six Party Talks and expressed the hope that a peaceful solution for 
the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula would be reached.
    The two leaders pledged to increase cooperation to halt the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related technology and 
materials in accordance with international and national laws and each 
country's capacities. They also pointed to the agreement on nuclear fuel 
replacement at the Dalat Research Reactor, and the signing of a 
Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Drug Enforcement 
Administration Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security, as examples of the 
diverse ways in which the two countries are working together to protect 
the safety and security of their peoples and others in the region.
    The two leaders looked especially to cooperation on the health front 
as an example of the tangible benefits of the United States and Vietnam 
working closely together. President Bush praised Vietnam's timely, 
effective, and transparent response to avian influenza in the country, 
which has prevented any further human outbreaks in Vietnam since October 
2005. He noted that Vietnam's efforts were a model for the region, and 
pledged continued U.S. support in responding to the threat of avian 
influenza. As Vietnam is one of the focus countries for President Bush's 
PEPFAR initiative on HIV/AIDS, the United States and Vietnam have also 
worked closely together to combat the scourge of this disease. The two 
leaders agreed to further strengthen the present positive cooperation. 
President Triet praised the work of the 
STAR initiative in Vietnam and the extension of this activity. President 
Triet also expressed appreciation for the U.S. Government's increasing 
development assistance to Vietnam and urged the U.S. side to increase 
humanitarian assistance including through cooperation on areas such as 
unexploded ordinance and continued assistance to Vietnamese with 
disabilities. The United States and Vietnam also agreed that further 
joint efforts to address the environmental contamination near former 
dioxin storage sites would make a valuable contribution to the continued 
development of their bilateral relationship.
    President Bush explained the National Security Strategy of the 
United States, which stresses the importance to world peace and 
stability of the development in every country of full respect for human 
rights and fundamental freedoms. President Triet apprised President Bush of recently promulgated laws and 
regulations on religious freedom that are to be implemented in all 
localities of Vietnam. The two leaders also noted the importance of 
continuing to make progress in the bilateral human rights dialogue and 
reaffirmed that it should be

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conducted in a comprehensive, constructive and results-oriented manner.
    The two leaders expressed satisfaction with progress on resolving 
outstanding issues from the war and agreed that the two sides would 
continue cooperation in this respect. President Triet reaffirmed his Government's continued efforts to assist 
the United States to ensure the fullest possible accounting for 
Americans who remain missing in action, through both joint and enhanced 
unilateral actions. President Bush reaffirmed U.S. contributions to help 
obtain information on Vietnamese MIA cases.
    Presidents Triet and Bush discussed 
cooperation in regional affairs, and President Bush praised Vietnam's 
hosting of APEC this year as a demonstration of Vietnam's active and 
important role in promoting trade and economic liberalization and 
strengthening security in the region. President Triet noted the robust 
engagement by the United States with ASEAN, and looked towards 
increasing that cooperation through the U.S.-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership. 
The two leaders pledged continued efforts to seek mutual understanding 
on issues of regional and global concern.
    The two leaders noted the importance of high-level visits between 
the two countries to the development of Vietnam-U.S. relations in the 
future. President Bush invited President Triet to visit the United States in 2007 to continue these 
discussions; President Triet thanked President Bush and accepted the 
invitation with pleasure.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.