Vietnam has reached agreement on a trade deal with the United States that paves the way for the communist-run country to join the World Trade Organization this year.
The agreement lowers tariffs on US industrial and farm products and removes non-tariff barriers that block US service providers from working in Vietnam, Stephen Norton, a spokesman for the US Trade Representative, said in a statement.
In Hanoi, the state-run Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper quoted an official at the Vietnamese embassy in Washington as saying the two countries, former war enemies in the 1960s and 70s, were expected to sign the agreement in early June.
Once a deal is completed, the US Congress must vote on giving the Southeast Asian country of 83 million people Permanent Normal Trade Relations Status. Then Vietnam would submit its final request for WTO membership later in 2006.
Outgoing US Trade Representative Rob Portman, who has been nominated to be the next White House budget director, said it was a "good agreement" for US business.
"It opens a new and growing market for American agricultural goods, services, such as financial services, and manufactured products," said Mr Portman, whose designated successor Susan Schwab was scheduled to visit Vietnam next month for a conference of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers.