WASHINGTON, June 21: US President George W. Bush said Tuesday that he would visit Vietnam in 2006 as he welcomed Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for historic talks at the White House.

“The prime minister graciously invited me to Vietnam. I will be going in 2006,” when Vietnam hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Mr Bush said as he and the Vietnamese leader sat side by side in the Oval Office.

Mr Khai’s visit was the first by a Vietnamese prime minister since the end of the Vietnam war, and came as Washington and Hanoi prepared to mark 10 years since they established diplomatic relations.

The president renewed his support for Vietnamese membership in the WTO and said they had discussed “humanitarian issues” including the fight against AIDS, as well as a recent “a landmark agreement that will make it easier for people to worship freely in Vietnam.”

“We agreed that Vietnam’s accession will be in the benefits of both countries. And we agreed to continue with our bilateral negotiations with the aim of concluding those very soon,” Mr Khai said.

A crucial requirement for WTO accession is earning permanent Most Favored Nation status from Congress.

In an apparent reference to US criticism of Vietnam’s rights record, Mr Khai said that he and Mr Bush “agreed that there remain differences between our two countries due to the different conditions that we have, the different histories and cultures.”—AFP