US secretary of state meets Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Vietnam's capital Hanoi. At the meeting with the Vietnamese prime minister, Kerry expressed his belief that the relationship between the United States and Vietnam will increasingly develop, especially in economy, trade and investment. Kerry pledged to support Vietnam in solving consequences of war as well as coping with climate change. The U.S. diplomat said the successful negotiation of the Trans- Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be a milestone in boosting U.S.- Vietnam ties. The Vietnamese prime minister, for his part, affirmed Vietnam's willingness to closely work with the United States in TPP negotiation process for a balanced deal, reported the website of the Vietnamese government. Dung asked the United States to support regional countries to protect the environment, cope with climate change and manage water resources toward sustainable development. On the same day, Kerry met General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong. During the meeting, Kerry hailed Vietnam's support in searching for remains of Americans missing in the war in Vietnam, which ended in 1975, and pledged to continue efforts to promote relations between the United States and Vietnam. The Vietnamese party chief asked the U.S. diplomat to further efforts in solving issues of unexploded ordnance and Agent Orange/ Dioxin in Vietnam.