Vietnam leader To Lam says positive negotiations with US on trade deal
VNM•Vietnam says trade talks with US are near a final outcome
HANOI, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Vietnamese leader To Lam said there had been positive negotiations on a trade agreement between Vietnam and the United States and a deal could be signed soon, the Vietnamese government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Lam's statement came after he met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York, where Lam will attend the UN General Assembly, the government said.
At the meeting, To Lam urged the US to take a comprehensive approach to unresolved trade issues, including matters related to Washington's Section 301 investigations, the statement said.
"A trade agreement would provide a stable and long-term framework for economic, trade and investment ties between the two countries," the government said.
The US is the largest export market for export-reliant Vietnam. Lam told Greer that Vietnam has taken steps to boost cooperation and increase purchases of US goods in an effort to narrow its trade surplus with Washington.
The statement cited Greer as telling Lam that negotiators from both sides had made significant efforts and achieved substantial progress, bringing the talks close to a final outcome.
