国际英语新闻:EU, Vietnam eye early conclusion of free trade agreement

BRUSSELS, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tang Dung on Monday reaffirmed the importance of an early conclusion of a free trade agreement between the two sides.

According to a joint statement after the two leaders met at the European Commission, the two sides treated the agreement, to be concluded in 2015, as "a key instrument to further deepen the bilateral comprehensive partnership and strengthen the flourishing trade and investment relations on the basis of mutual benefits."

The EU and Vietnam intend this agreement to be a modern, comprehensive and balanced agreement that supports the two sides' economies in "meeting today's and future challenges, and an essential building block in strengthening the relationship between Europe and South East Asia," said the statement.

It said the two sides instructed negotiators to intensify and complete their work "with a view to concluding negotiations in the next few months."

The two sides agreed to achieve an ambitious and balanced outcome in all market access areas of the negotiations as well as in rules and regulatory disciplines.

President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, who also met with the Vietnamese PM, said the EU and Vietnam are "long-standing partners."

Van Rompuy said the two sides emphasized the importance of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which the EU and Vietnam signed in 2012, noting the agreement, once ratified, will lift the partnership to a new level.

The EU is Vietnam's second-largest trade partner and its largest development donor.