U.S. president likely to visit Vietnam on APEC meeting occasion

U.S. President George W. Bush is likely to pay a state visit to Vietnam on the occasion of attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting to be held in Hanoi capital in November, a U.S. diplomat said here Tuesday.

Bush's state visit to Vietnam is likely, although the White House's announcement (about the confirmation of the trip) has yet to come out, Michael Marine, U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, told reporters.

Bush may be accompanied by some senior officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, he noted.

Regarding security for the future visit, the U.S. side will work closely with Vietnamese authorities, the ambassador said, noting that Vietnam's security work is good.

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Dennis Hastert visited Vietnam in April, and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld did the same in June.

Source: Xinhua