Austrian President Heinz Fischer has praised the achievements Vietnam has made in recent time, especially in poverty reduction and socio-economic development.

At a reception for outgoing Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Nguyen Thiep on October 1, the President expressed his belief that Vietnam will reap even greater successes in its path of development, contributing more to peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

He said he is pleased with the positive development of the two countries’ friendship and cooperation, particularly since his official visit to Vietnam in 2012.

The President also appreciated Ambassador Thiep’s contributions to deepening the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two nations during this three-year tenure.
The ambassador thanked the Australian President and relevant agencies for helping him fulfill his mission.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, two-way trade between Vietnam and Austria exceeded one billion USD for the first time in 2013.

In May this year, the Austrian Ministry of Finance and the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment agreed to extend the bilateral preferential loans agreement by additional two years after 2014.-VNA