"Energy issues are extremely important to Vietnam," Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung told Christian Jacob, Head of the French delegation to the just concluded Vietnam-France Finance and Economy Forum's eighth session entitled "Energy and Sustainable Development", which was held in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

Meeting the French official here on Thursday, Hung said Vietnam is in dire need of accessing cutting-edge technologies, highly-efficient solutions and experiences relating to energy security, environmental protection, green technologies and the development of quality human resources to ensure its sustainable development.

He highlighted the Vietnam-France Finance and Economy Forum as a good and effective cooperative mechanism and was confident that the results of the forum's eighth session would gain governmental support as well as an enthusiastic response from businesses of the two countries.

The French official said this session introduced research and initiatives regarding solutions to both curb CO2 emissions in Vietnam and secure the country's economic development.

He said Vietnam should tap its high-potential crops and animal breeding to produce bio-fuels while applying new technologies in exploiting fossil fuels to reduce CO2 emissions.

The French official also mentioned nuclear power as a source of efficient energy towards national development.

He said that his country is willing to share its experience in organising and selecting models of urban planning, means of transport, and public fuel supply systems with Vietnam as such work greatly helps reduce energy consumption.

Bernama - November 20, 2009