The postponement was announced at a press conference on July 21, where the Secretary of State announced the rescheduling of visits to several countries.
She confirmed that she the visit to Vietnam was still a priority, but that mounting hostilities in the Middle East have forced her to delay.
The US Secretary of State noted that Vietnam’s economic reforms should facilitate approval of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) for Vietnam by the US Congress.
Answering questions from Vietnam News Agency, Ms Rice said that ties between Vietnam and the US are developing in a positive manner and that the future is bright.
Last month, US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, visited Vietnam, and US President George Bush will attend an APEC meeting in Vietnam toward the end of the year.
