HANOI, Jan. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- France will broaden and deepen cooperative ties with Vietnam in such fields as agriculture, infrastructure, finance and education, French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-Francois Blarel said here Thursday.

    France has defined three priority areas for cooperation with Vietnam between 2006 and 2010 as agriculture and food security, infrastructure development, and production promotion, the ambassador said at a press briefing.

    "France will help Vietnam to develop transport systems, including aviation, railway and urban transport, support its energy development strategy, and strengthen its capacity in protecting water sources, treating rubbish and minimizing air pollution," Blarel said.

    France has pledged to promote Vietnam's financial services and its small and medium enterprises. Other areas for cooperation with Vietnam in the period include AIDS prevention, manpower training, culture, education and training, and state management, he added.

    "France will establish two tertiary education centers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in October 2006," he said, noting that they are cooperation projects between two Vietnamese national universities in the two cities and many French universities.

    The ambassador said 75-80 percent of the financial assistance France pledges for Vietnam in the five-year period will go to the three priority areas. France has pledged to offer Vietnam financial aid of 340 million euros (some 411 million U.S. dollars) in 2006, he emphasized.

    Since the official establishment of diplomatic relations in late 1973, Vietnam and France have maintained regular exchange of visits at different levels and signed a range of cooperation agreements in different spheres.

    France has annually spent around 500 million dollars on importing Vietnamese products, mainly garments, textiles, footwear and coffee. Vietnam annually imports over 400 million dollars worth of French goods, mostly machinery, equipment and material for production. Enditem