Hanoi: India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's visit to Vietnam 50 years ago on this day is of great significance to this country as he was the first foreign head of State to come in Hanoi just a week after its liberation," Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien said today (Oct 17, 2004).

"Fifty years ago, Prime Minister Nehru, was the first foreign Head of Government to come to Hanoi just one week after its total liberation. Accompanying him was his beloved daughter - Indira Gandhi.

"It was amazing that the two most outstanding figures of India were all present in Hanoi at that historic conjucture," Nguyen Dy Nien told a special seminar held in Hanoi to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the meeting of the two leaders.

"Also at that time 50 years ago, my colleagues and I took over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and since then I began my career as a diplomat and this historic visit is still fresh in my memory," the Minister noted.

Nguyen Dy Nien said that Ho Chi Minh and Prime Minister Nehru had struck a friendship.

"Uncle Ho had adopted Indira Gandhi as his niece and even when she became Prime Minister she continued calling Ho Chi Minh Uncle Ho."

He said the meeting between Nehru and Ho Chi Minh had helped forge a close cooperation between the two countries in struggling for implementing the Geneva Accord.

"The close friendship and strategic sight of the two leaders have bonded our nations together standing side-by-side to rise above all vicissitudes of history," he told the admirers and fans of the two Asian leaders.

He said the root of the seemingly personal ties between the two were convergence of their national liberation ideals, desire for peace, liberty and independence, prosperity for the country and solidarity among nations, determination to abolish oppression, exploitation and power politics.

"Those are the noble values and quintessence of Vietnam-India friendship and solidarity, which have been crystallised from and tested over times," he said.