Hanoi, June 7 (CTK special correspondent) – Short-term visas for Czech tourists travelling to Vietnam may be lifted, Czech President Zeman agreed with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang today, Zeman told reporters after their meeting.
The unilateral introduction of the visa exemption is yet to be negotiated.
Zeman also asked the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, to support the visa waiver.
Both presidents agreed on the introduction of a direct flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Prague, Zeman said.
He also invited Quang to the Czech Republic.
Zeman told reporters that they had reached an agreement to remove two major obstacles to the development of Czech-Vietnamese relations.
The first is no direct air service and the other one is the existence of short-term tourist visas that prevent a high number of Czech tourists from travelling to Vietnam, he said.
Vietnam has already approved a visa waiver for German and French tourists, he added.
“I am glad that I can tell you that both presidents have agreed on both the introduction of a direct flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Prague and on the lifting of short-term tourist visas,” Zeman said.
If the direct air service were established, the Czech Republic would be prepared to open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, he added.
The Vietnamese authorities must yet decide on the visa waiver, Presidential Office foreign section head Rudolf Jindrak said. He added that talks on this issue would continue with other Vietnamese representatives.
If they were successful, this would be a unilateral step taken by Vietnam. The EU would have to approve the lifting of visas for the Vietnamese travelling to the Czech Republic.
Zeman met other Vietnamese politicians later today, including Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Huem and Trong whom he called the most powerful man of Vietnam.
Zeman asked him for his support during the talks in Vietnam. “We have signed a number of significant agreements, but two are still open – on a direct air service between Ho Chi Minh City and Prague and on the visa waiver for Czech tourists. I am aware that the agreements may not be materialised without your support,” Zeman said.
Zeman also invited Quang to the Czech Republic. He said they both liked Pilsner beer and that he would like to take Quang to the Pilsner brewery in Plzen, west Bohemia, during his visit.
Zeman also reminded that seven contracts between Czech and Vietnamese firms had been signed during a Czech-Vietnamese business seminar on Tuesday.
“They include a significant contract worth 20 million dollars on the construction of a hotel complex at the seaside,” Zeman said.
He added that he believed this contract would be “the beginning of the expansion of Czech tourism to Vietnam,” which he called a beautiful tourist destination.
Last year, 13,591 Czechs travelled to Vietnam, which is twice more than in 2010, the Association of Czech Travel Agencies has said, referring to data of the Vietnamese State Agency for Tourism (VNAT).
About 3000 Czechs annually go to Vietnam with a tourist agency.
“There are several reasons for the rising popularity of this attractive exotic destination. Vietnam is considered a safe country with an authentic Asian atmosphere, a virgin landscape and famous cuisine,” association executive director Tereza Pickova said.
Czechs like mainly round trips from northern to southern Vietnam and stays in the southern area of central Vietnam and on the largest Phu Quoc island in the Gulf of Thailand where they can even travel without visas, she added.
Quang said the presidents had also talked about support for trade agreement between the European Union and Vietnam, the improvement of bilateral trade and navigation in the South China Sea.
Quang thanked the Czech Republic for the conditions of the Vietnamese ethnic minority living there.
Some 65,000 Vietnamese live in the Czech Republic with a population of 10.5 million, according to statistics.Hanoi, June 7 (CTK special correspondent) – Short-term visas for Czech tourists travelling to Vietnam may be lifted, Czech President Zeman agreed with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang today, Zeman told reporters after their meeting.
The unilateral introduction of the visa exemption is yet to be negotiated.
Zeman also asked the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, to support the visa waiver.
Both presidents agreed on the introduction of a direct flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Prague, Zeman said.
He also invited Quang to the Czech Republic.
Zeman told reporters that they had reached an agreement to remove two major obstacles to the development of Czech-Vietnamese relations.
The first is no direct air service and the other one is the existence of short-term tourist visas that prevent a high number of Czech tourists from travelling to Vietnam, he said.
Vietnam has already approved a visa waiver for German and French tourists, he added.
“I am glad that I can tell you that both presidents have agreed on both the introduction of a direct flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Prague and on the lifting of short-term tourist visas,” Zeman said.
If the direct air service were established, the Czech Republic would be prepared to open a consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, he added.
The Vietnamese authorities must yet decide on the visa waiver, Presidential Office foreign section head Rudolf Jindrak said. He added that talks on this issue would continue with other Vietnamese representatives.
If they were successful, this would be a unilateral step taken by Vietnam. The EU would have to approve the lifting of visas for the Vietnamese travelling to the Czech Republic.
Zeman met other Vietnamese politicians later today, including Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Huem and Trong whom he called the most powerful man of Vietnam.
Zeman asked him for his support during the talks in Vietnam. “We have signed a number of significant agreements, but two are still open – on a direct air service between Ho Chi Minh City and Prague and on the visa waiver for Czech tourists. I am aware that the agreements may not be materialised without your support,” Zeman said.
Zeman also invited Quang to the Czech Republic. He said they both liked Pilsner beer and that he would like to take Quang to the Pilsner brewery in Plzen, west Bohemia, during his visit.
Zeman also reminded that seven contracts between Czech and Vietnamese firms had been signed during a Czech-Vietnamese business seminar on Tuesday.
“They include a significant contract worth 20 million dollars on the construction of a hotel complex at the seaside,” Zeman said.
He added that he believed this contract would be “the beginning of the expansion of Czech tourism to Vietnam,” which he called a beautiful tourist destination.
Last year, 13,591 Czechs travelled to Vietnam, which is twice more than in 2010, the Association of Czech Travel Agencies has said, referring to data of the Vietnamese State Agency for Tourism (VNAT).
About 3000 Czechs annually go to Vietnam with a tourist agency.
“There are several reasons for the rising popularity of this attractive exotic destination. Vietnam is considered a safe country with an authentic Asian atmosphere, a virgin landscape and famous cuisine,” association executive director Tereza Pickova said.
Czechs like mainly round trips from northern to southern Vietnam and stays in the southern area of central Vietnam and on the largest Phu Quoc island in the Gulf of Thailand where they can even travel without visas, she added.
Quang said the presidents had also talked about support for trade agreement between the European Union and Vietnam, the improvement of bilateral trade and navigation in the South China Sea.
Quang thanked the Czech Republic for the conditions of the Vietnamese ethnic minority living there.
Some 65,000 Vietnamese live in the Czech Republic with a population of 10.5 million, according to statistics.
