Vietnam and Italy have discussed issues of mutual interest in legislative and supervision work during the current working visit to Italy by Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Uong Chu Luu.

While in Italy from Sep. 22-25, NA Vice Chairman Luu met with Vice President of the Italian Parliament’s Chamber of Deputies (IPCD) Rocco Buttiglione and worked with the Foreign Affairs and Convention Committees and the Italian Parliamentarian Group for Solidarity with Vietnam on Sept. 22.

Luu thanked Italy for its support to Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and development and the country’s bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The deputy legislative chief said in addition to the fine relationship between Vietnam and Italy, the two parliaments have had important foundations for cooperation through exchanges and visits by the two countries and parliaments’ leaders.

Although Vietnam has been suffering from the world economic crisis, the nation has gained relatively high growth rates and is actively integrating into the global economy and the European region, Luu said. He added that therefore Vietnam wants Italy to continue support and recognise Vietnam as a socialist-oriented market economy.

For his part, Buttiglione said Vietnam and Italy should promote the exchange of high-ranking delegations and experiences in legislative work and the relationship between the two parliaments.

He suggested both countries further promote the exchange of cultural activities and students and boost bilateral trade and investment relations to match the two countries’ potentials.

Italy wants to cooperate and assist Vietnam in the fields of its strength, including cultural heritage preservation and restoration, Buttiglione said.

President of the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Affairs Committee Stefani Stefano emphasised the significance of the Vietnamese NA delegation’s visit, saying it brings the relationship between the two legislatures to a new height.

Italy is interested in Vietnam’s development and integration process as well as its socio-economic development, Stefano said, noting that he is impressed by Vietnam’s renewal achievements which help the country get out of its underdeveloped status and reduce its poverty rate to the lowest rate.

Italian congressmen representing the Democratic Party (PD) and Northern League (LN) party spoke highly of Vietnam’s successful role as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2010 which, they said, reflected Vietnam’s increasing position.

Earlier, the delegation had paid working visits to Slovakia from September 12-16 and the Czech Republic from Sept. 19-21./.