Vietnam will let foreign tourists visit Spratlys

Reuters Reuters Wednesday, May 12, 2004

HANOI Vietnam will allow foreigners to join tours to the disputed Spratly Islands, which are claimed by several Asian countries, Defense Minister Pham Van Tra said Tuesday.
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"At present, we lack the accommodation and ship service, but we have raised this issue so later on foreign tourists will be able to come," Tra said before the opening session of the National Assembly.
.
In the first tour last month, 130 Vietnamese were taken aboard a naval ship to the Spratlys, tourism officials said. China, Taiwan and the Philippines have questioned the decision by Hanoi to let tourists visit the islands, a string of atolls and islets in the South China Sea.



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< < Back to Start of Article HANOI Vietnam will allow foreigners to join tours to the disputed Spratly Islands, which are claimed by several Asian countries, Defense Minister Pham Van Tra said Tuesday.
.
"At present, we lack the accommodation and ship service, but we have raised this issue so later on foreign tourists will be able to come," Tra said before the opening session of the National Assembly.
.
In the first tour last month, 130 Vietnamese were taken aboard a naval ship to the Spratlys, tourism officials said. China, Taiwan and the Philippines have questioned the decision by Hanoi to let tourists visit the islands, a string of atolls and islets in the South China Sea. HANOI Vietnam will allow foreigners to join tours to the disputed Spratly Islands, which are claimed by several Asian countries, Defense Minister Pham Van Tra said Tuesday.
.
"At present, we lack the accommodation and ship service, but we have raised this issue so later on foreign tourists will be able to come," Tra said before the opening session of the National Assembly.
.
In the first tour last month, 130 Vietnamese were taken aboard a naval ship to the Spratlys, tourism officials said. China, Taiwan and the Philippines have questioned the decision by Hanoi to let tourists visit the islands, a string of atolls and islets in the South China Sea. HANOI Vietnam will allow foreigners to join tours to the disputed Spratly Islands, which are claimed by several Asian countries, Defense Minister Pham Van Tra said Tuesday.
.
"At present, we lack the accommodation and ship service, but we have raised this issue so later on foreign tourists will be able to come," Tra said before the opening session of the National Assembly.
.
In the first tour last month, 130 Vietnamese were taken aboard a naval ship to the Spratlys, tourism officials said. China, Taiwan and the Philippines have questioned the decision by Hanoi to let tourists visit the islands, a string of atolls and islets in the South China Sea.

source: http://www.iht.com/articles/519411.html