Text: Albright Remarks to Ho Chi Minh City Business Roundtable
(Albright cautiously optimistic on U.S.-Vietnam trade pact)Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she is "cautiously optimistic" that the United States and Vietnam will finalize a trade agreement soon.
"I am cautiously optimistic that we may -- underscore may -- get an agreement in the reasonably near term," Albright told an audience at a business roundtable in Ho Chi Minh City September 7.
Following is the text of Albright's remarks, as prepared for delivery:
(begin text)
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)OPENING REMARKS BY
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
TO BUSINESS ROUNDTABLEHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam
September 7, 1999Good afternoon; I'm pleased we could get together. This has been an eventful trip -- but what I'd really like to spend most of this valuable time with you on is listening, not talking.
Because as hard as the Administration has worked to open foreign markets and expand business opportunities for American companies, it's not that often I get a chance to hear directly from world-class business leaders about the special challenges you face in a particular country or region.
I do want to report very quickly on the status of the bilateral trade agreement, based on my meetings yesterday with Vietnam's leaders. We can get into greater nuance later, but bottom line, I am cautiously optimistic that we may -- underscore "may" -- get an agreement in the reasonably near term.
The business community has done a great deal to help bring us this far in the last four years. And with a crowded Congressional calendar, your support will be absolutely crucial in getting the agreement ratified promptly -- in the event we all should have that opportunity.
You know better than I do what normal trade relations with Vietnam could mean for U.S. business. That's just one reason I want to open the floor to you now, for your comments or questions.
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