At the press conference, PM Dũng delivered a speech which reads:

Mr. President,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you, Mr. President and American friends, for your warm hospitality. Mr. President and I have just had very successful talks in the friendly, constructive and understanding spirit.

We took note with great pleasure of rapid developments in the Việt Nam-US relationship toward a friendly and constructive partnership, multifaceted cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit.

We agreed with each other on a wide range of issues, which are fully reflected in our Joint Statement. I’d like to give you some highlights as follows:

1. Mr. President and I agreed to establish a new dialogue mechanism at the senior level on the strategic matters of economics, education, environment, science, defence and security. President Bush reiterated his support for Việt Nam’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

2. President Bush reaffirmed that the U.S. is actively reviewing Việt Nam’s request to join the GSP program and acknowledged Việt Nam’s request to be accorded the Market Economy Status. The U.S. is also considering the import of fruits from Việt Nam. Also, the two sides agreed to commence negotiations on a Bilateral Investment Treaty.

3. We agreed to establish a high-level education task force to effectively advance the education cooperation between the two countries.

4. The two sides agreed to set up a new subcommittee to assist Vietnam in conducting researches to respond to the climate change and rising sea level.

5. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation to address humanitarian issues left over by the war such as the American MIA issue, mine clearing, remediation of the agent-orange consequences, the Vietnamese MIA issue.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

My visit to the US this time is the follow-up of the foreign policy of independence and sovereignty, diversification and multi-lateralization of external relations. Việt Nam wants to be friends and trusted partners with all nations and nationalities in the international community. Along that line, Việt Nam will continue to strengthen the fine relationship between Việt Nam and the United States under the framework identified by the two countries’ leaders.

I hope that with the fruitful outcome of my visit, the Việt Nam-US relationship will be elevated to new heights in the interests of both peoples, of peace, stability and development cooperation in the region and the world.

Thank you, Mr. President, and you all.