Announced by the State Department last month, the agreement calls on Vietnam to live up to a recent decree that prohibits government officials from forcing people to renounce their faith and makes it easier for religious congregations to open houses of worship. Vietnam is on the State Department's list of "countries of particular concern" because of "ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom."

Khai, 71, alluded to the issue in his brief comments, saying he and Bush "agreed that there remain differences between our two countries due to the different conditions that we have, the different histories and cultures. But we also agreed that we should work together through constructive dialogue based upon mutual respect to reduce those differences in order to improve our bilateral relations."

Human rights and religious freedom were on the minds of about 800 angry protesters outside the White House. They waved giant red-and-yellow flags of the former South Vietnam and chanted, "Phan Van Khai, Go Home!" and "Freedom for Vietnam!" They hanged an effigy of former North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. And Jacques Nhan Nguyen, 70, of San Jose, Calif., the president of the Vietnamese Democracy Education Foundation, tore up the flag of communist Vietnam.

"This is a murderer's flag," Nguyen said. "Send him back to Vietnam."

Bush also announced that he will visit Vietnam next year. About time, since he dodged going there years ago.

Demonstrators gather in front of the White House to protest the meeting of Phan Van Khai, Prime Minister of the Vietnamese Communist party and US President George W. Bush, shouting 'Van Khai terrorist' and 'Van Khai go home, you are a liar'(AFP/Karen Bleier)

Protesters demonstrate in Washington, DC, against the human rights practices of the government of Vietnam during a visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai to the U.S, June 21, 2005. Chanting 'VC (Viet Cong) go home' and 'No money for Communists', about 100 Vietnamese exiles and a few American war veterans staged a raucous protest on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House and could be heard in the Rose Garden as Bush met Khai. As they flew the yellow and red-striped flag of former South Vietnam, they burned a Vietnam flag and hung a life-sized mannequin of communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh in effigy. REUTERS/Chris Kleponis

A South Korean protester holds up a defaced picture of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S.President George W. Bush during an anti-war rally demanding the withdrawal of South Korean troops from Iraq, in front of the defense ministry in Seoul, Wednesday, June 15, 2005. South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung Monday said South Korea's government is likely to seek an extension of its deployment of more than 3,000 troops in Iraq. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)