Italian, Vietnamese leaders express sympathy with China over epidemic
( 2003-05-16 15:42 ) (8)

The leaders of Italy and Vietnam have recently expressed sympathy to Chinese leaders over the heavy losses caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

In a message to Chinese President Hu Jintao, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi said the Chinese government has offered important cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), which would benefit all countries that have suffered from SARS.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, in his message to Premier Wen Jiabao, said that the Vietnamese government and the people praise highly the efforts made by the Chinese government and its people in fighting SARS. He also expressed hope for further cooperation with China in combating the disease.