The plans were agreed on by visiting State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg during their talks in Oslo Friday.

The national leaders also agreed to assist each other in culture exchange and tourism.

Triet and Stoltenberg decided to accelerate and tap the potential of the two countries’ trade ties and discussed ways to encourage their businesspeople to establish stable long-term partnerships.

They said the relationship between the two countries was growing well with frequent visits, notably the Norwegian King Harald V and Queen Sonja’s visit to Vietnam in 2004.

President Triet said he valued the long term assistance the Norwegian government and people have provided Vietnam, especially in the periods of renovation and international integration.

He stated that Vietnam treasures and wants to enhance traditional friendship and cooperation with the northern European country.

The Vietnamese leader welcomed the Norwegian government’s recent adoption of a “Vietnam Strategy,” which he said was a crucial legal foundation to define priorities for future cooperation.

Apart from bilateral issues, the two leaders compared notes on regional and international issues of mutual concern, particularly those on environmental protection and climate change.

They agreed to strengthen coordination and support at international forums, particularly as Vietnam has joined the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member and the Norwegian Prime Minister acts as the co-chair of the UN Senior Committee.