Luanda, 04/03 – The Angolan Head of State, José Eduardo dos Santos, Thursday in Luanda said that the country is consolidating its democracy, after six years of peace.

Addressing an opening ceremony focussed on talks between Angolan and Vietnamese delegations, during the visit of the top leader of Vietnam, Nong Manh, President Eduardo dos Santos said that the country is also strengthening the victory of reconciliation, of economic stabilisation and of reconstruction, laying the solid grounds for sustained development.

"The conscious participation of our people in this process has been decisive, as they joined the electoral registration process that will enable them to participate in the legislative elections, scheduled for September 2008, and they have also shown commitment to the all phases of the country`s reconstruction", referred the President.

According to the Angolan statesman, this participation allows the consolidation of the foundations and keeping the progress of the current economic growth, resulting in speeding up the betterment of the population`s living standards and the development process.

On the challenges to be overcome, the Angolan Head of State mentioned those related to the personnel training, the boosting of research and, above all, the fighting against poverty and diseases.

"The cooperation with the Republic of Vietnam, in social, economic, technical and scientific fields, may contribute to the resolution of the problems and sharing experience, with view to reciprocally consolidate the development efforts, underway in the two countries", stressed the President.

José Eduardo dos Santos quoted the commercial interchange in the fields of agriculture, transforming industry, health and education, as the top priorities in the cooperation with the Asian nation. At the end of the talks, the two countries will sign an agreement for the strengthening of cooperation in various domains.