He made the comments while receiving Hartmut Nassauer, Chairman of the European Parliament (EP)'s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and his entourage in Hanoi on May 22.

Mr An also spoke highly of the role played by the EU, the EP and the European Commission (EC) as well as EU member countries and expressed his pleasure at the fine development of relations in politics, economy, trade, investment and culture between Vietnam and the EU over the past 10 years.

Mr An wished that Vietnam and the European Union (EU) will further strengthen bilateral cooperative ties for mutual development.

He informed his guests of the situation in Vietnam after 20 years of renewal, stressing that the recent 10^th Congress of the Communist Party affirmed the country's determination to bring its renewal process to a new height, its open foreign policy, and accelerate regional and international integration.

The Vietnamese leader applauded the fourth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP-4) Meeting's decision to organise exhibitions on higher education in the capital cities of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Vietnam.

For his part, Mr Nassauer, who is also Head of the EP's Mission for Relations with Southeast Asian and ASEAN Countries, affirmed that the EU and the EP will continue to assist Vietnam in its renewal process and boost cooperation with the country.

However, the two sides should further increase dialogues to remove their different views for mutual understanding and trust, he said.

Expressing his impression of Vietnam's socio-economic achievements, the EP official pledged to help the country promote socio-economic development, build a law-governed State, and improve people's living conditions.

The same day, the EP delegation held a working session with a delegation of the Vietnamese NA, headed by Ton Nu Thi Ninh, Vice Chairwoman of the NA Commission for External Relations and President of the Vietnam-European Parliamentarian' Friendship Group.