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Outside the iconic No 10 door, on the crisp cold evening of 22 January, I watched the British Prime Minister shake hands with the Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the first ever such meeting.
Inside, the atmosphere was gracious, workmanlike and constructive.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron meets Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Number 10 on 22 January 2013. Photo: Tri Dzung, VNA
The following morning I perched on the Speaker’s balcony in parliament alongside a group of Vietnamese delegates, above a noisy session of questions to the Prime Minister. The volume of gleeful cheering and jeering (to put it politely) rose so that it became hard to hear the debate.
“Disrespectful to the Prime Minister”, as a Vietnamese Minister said to me in the car afterwards – perhaps so. But it did show vividly how openness to criticism and challenge can help make government fully accountable.
As well as the PM, Business Secretary Vince Cable, Foreign Secretary William Hague and the Lord Mayor of London also all hosted discussions. Each has been in Vietnam within the last 18 months (albeit in the Lord Mayor’s case his predecessor in office). General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also met His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales – and invited him to visit.
Clarence House, Lancaster House, Carlton Gardens: it seemed at times a tour of historic homes. But major visits can unlock obstacles and open doors, and this one stands out. Positive discussions across an ambitious agenda showed the scale of the opportunity which a bigger relationship can bring.
I take my furry winter hat off to the quietly dedicated officials on both sides who organized the busy programme in snowy London. It was a privilege to be involved, to join the discussions, even at the end of his meeting to hear the PM remembering the bicycles and beauty of Vietnam when he first visited (in a private capacity) many years ago.
Dear Antony,
it ‘s really not my style and I ‘ve never posted a comment to you by starting sthg. like ” Didn ‘t I told you..” . For it ‘s so “Wannabe”- like.
But at least and after reading your article twice allow me pls. to write : Didn ‘t I I wrote to you in my last lines that I ‘m not doubting for a moment that the UK-Visit by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will be a success? So I really hope and do believe that in this week- starting at January 22nd, 2013 in London this ” Hand-Shake” between PM David Cameron and the Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong in front of this symbolic “NUMBER 10″
building/street was the begin of another, brightful decade between the UK – VIETNAMESE relation/partnership. To conclude: I think that you ‘ve said it all by writing: “But major visits can unlock and OPEN (NEW) DOORS….”. CONGRATULATIONS.
BW, Ingo-Steven Wais / Stuttgart/Wuerttemberg
[...] runway. It had taken nearly forty years since the beginning of diplomatic relations to stage that historic handshake. But there was just enough time to return to Whitehall and then get out to Gatwick for the direct [...]