The Vietnamese foreign minister, Nguyen Manh Cam, has met the Czech President, Vaclav Havel, and held talks with senior officials during his visit to the Czech Republic.

Mr Havel said that the large Vietnamese community in the country enriched Czech society.

Tens of thousands of Vietnamese are reported to have entered the former communist Czechoslovakia as students in the l970's and many have have stayed on as workersCorrespondents say the Czech government is keen to boost economic ties with Vietnam, and that Mr Cam encouraged further investment in his talks with senior officials.