President extends sympathies to Russia

President Nguyen Minh Triet yesterday, July 12, extended his condolences to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev over the sinking of a ship in the Volga River in the Russian Republic of Tatarstan.

The accident occured on Sunday.

More than a hundred people, including children, were believed killed in the disaster.

France, Vietnam boost cooperation in various fields

Bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and France has seen constant growth, said President of the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association Duong Quang Trung.

The remark was made at a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on July 12 to mark the 222nd National Day of France.
Trung affirmed that the two countries have obtained many achievements in cooperation in economics, urban planning and transport infrastructure construction, energy, culture, health care, education and training, and science and technology.
He said the friendship and cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and France, especially the Rhone-Alpes region and Lyon city, has developed well in many fields.
At present, French investors, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and friends were implementing effective projects and programmes on economic assistance, education, health care, HIV/AIDS, environment and humanitarian issues which have contributed to the city’s development.
French Consul-General to the city Fabrice Mauries expressed his belief that friendship between the two countries will continue to develop in many fields.

Friendship with Laos celebrated

Viet Nam and Laos have always attached great importance to consolidating and boosting their special friendship, said Politburo member and Permanent Secretary of the Party Central Committee Truong Tan Sang.

Sang was speaking at a reception for a delegation led by Phankham Viphavan, Politburo member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party’s Central Committee, Minister of Education and Sport and President of the Laos-Viet Nam Friendship Association, yesterday in Ha Noi.

Sang praised the visit and expressed his pleasure at growing ties between the two countries.

He said the two friendship associations had helped boost comprehensive co-operation between Viet Nam and Laos.

Sang called on the two associations to continue promoting education among the younger generation and to finalise celebrations for the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship Solidarity Year 2012.

Phankham Viphavan expressed his joy at visiting Viet Nam and applauded the achievements the Vietnamese people had gained during the country’s renewal.

He said he highly valued co-operation between the two associations over the years and talked about plans to celebrate 2012.

He affirmed the Laos government, people and the friendship association would try their best to further promote traditional relations between the two countries while implementing agreements reached by the two sides.

Deputy PM receives Chinese Ambassador

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung received outgoing Chinese ambassador to Vietnam Sun Guoxiang at the government headquarters on July 12.

The same day, Head of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc, also received Ambassador Guoxiang, who bade farewell before ending his term in Vietnam.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA