Vietnam, Belarus Sign Agreement to Boost Education Ties

Vietnam and Belarus on Nov 29 sign an agreement on education and training cooperation in the presence of Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich and his counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung. The agreement was part of many pacts inked between the two governments on the same day, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. Belarus has decided to grant full scholarships to 5% of Vietnamese students studying in Belarus and create conditions for the Vietnamese community to live and work in the country, he affirmed. At the reception to the Belarus leader, PM Dung said the visit is a significant boost to the traditional friendship between the two countries, bringing practical benefits for the two sides.  The two leaders also inked a joint communiqué on the outcomes of the visit and witnessed the signing of an agreement on citizens working under contract, an agreement on cooperation in judicial assessment and a cooperative program between the two ministries of justice agreement for the 2012-2013 period, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the exchange of customs data and two fertilizer contracts. Trade between Vietnam and Belarus valued at $176.3 million in the first nine months of this year, including the former’s trade deficit of $109.1 million. The countries earlier agreed to join hands closely to raise the bilateral trade to $1 billion in 2011. (Tuoi Tre - Youth Nov 30 p4)