Vietnam participates in 24th ASEAN-US Dialogue

Pham Quang Vinh, assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, led a Vietnamese delegation at the 24th ASEAN-US Dialogue held in Wahshington DC on May 25 and 26.

The 24th ASEAN-US Dialogue focused on discussing an ASEAN-US five year Plan of Action, the development of an ASEAN-US comprehensive partnership, and US engagement in the East Asia Summit, as well as global and regional issues such as regional structure, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), the development of the Middle East peace process, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Iranian nuclear project.

Participants also discussed the climate change, terrorism, and other issues related to the economy, cooking and energy security.

Both sides reached an agreement on preparations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) in July 2011 in Bali, Indonesia, as well as the possibility of holding the 3rd ASEAN-US Leaders Meeting in November 2011.

The ASEAN delegation to the 24th Dialogue was led by the Philippines, the country coordinator for US-ASEAN relations.

Vietnam boost fisheries cooperation with Malaysia and Indonesia

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam is on a week-long visit to Malaysia and Indonesia from May 23-29.

During two days in Malaysia, Mr Tam held talks with Deputy Minister of Agriculture, M.Johari Baharom and other Malaysian officials. The two sides agreed to boost cooperation on fisheries, cultivation and husbandry. They discussed issues related to aquaculture, management of ships, information exchange and coordination in dealing with the seizure of fishing vessels and fishermen from both sides.

The Vietnamese delegation visited and learned experiences in managing and supervising Malaysia’s offshore.

They worked with the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on May 26 to discuss how to implement the memorandum of understanding signed by the two ministries in October 2010 and boost cooperation in solving cases of fishing boats and fishermen seized by the two countries in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and in the spirit of close cooperation among ASEAN member countries and humanitarian treatment of fishermen.

The two sides agreed to soon set up a joint technical committee (JTC) in the fisheries sector that will meet on a periodic and rotational basis.

Vietnam attends high-level global meeting on AIDS

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong will attend the 2011 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS in New York on June 8-10, announced a press briefing in Hanoi on May 27.

The meeting aims to work out measures and orientations for global action against the AIDS epidemic. It is expected to attract leaders and senior officials from many countries, international organisations, and civil societies, as well as people living with HIV.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President of the United Nations General Assembly Joseph Deiss will also participate in the event.

Speaking at the press briefing, UNAIDS Country Director in Vietnam, Eamonn Murphy, revealed that during the past 10 years, more than six million HIV patients have been saved and millions others have avoided being infected by the deadly virus thanks to disseminating information on the danger sof HIV/AIDS. However, the number of newly-infected cases has recently been rising rapidly because many people still do not have access to HIV/AIDS prevention services, he added.

Mr Murphy said that the upcoming meeting in New York will focus on measures to prevent HIV, promoting ARV treatments, and protecting younger generations against HIV/AIDS.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong said that Vietnam will take part in a number of important sessions, observe some other important events and hold meetings on the sidelines of the main meeting.

ASEAN chiefs of military medicine welcomed

Deputy Defence Minister, Lieutenant-General Le Huu Duc, received ASEAN chiefs of military medicine in Hanoi on May 27.

Deputy Minister Duc spoke highly of the results of the ASEAN Chiefs of Military Medicine Conference, which opened for the first time, earlier in Hanoi.

The Vietnam People’s Army had actively and positively taken part in regional defence-security conferences and meetings, he said.

The Deputy Defence Minister said he believed that experience and initiatives shared at the conference would be a good premise for military medicine sectors of regional countries to seek and boost cooperation opportunities in the exchange of delegations, disaster prevention, human aid and aviation medicine.

ASEAN chiefs of military medicine reached a high degree of consensus on conclusions and initiatives at their first conference, especially Vietnam’s initiative on the exchange of young military doctors, guests said.

The chiefs of military medicine of ASEAN countries also highly appreciated Vietnam’s hospitality and professional hosting of the event.

Military medical exchange proposed

The Ministry of Defence plans to host the first meeting of young ASEAN military medical officers next year. The proposal was put forward at the ASEAN Chiefs of Military Medicine Conference (ACMMC-1), that opened for the first time in Viet Nam yesterday.

The exchange is one of two initiatives put forward by Viet Nam, along with an orientation for ASEAN military medical co-operation. Both ideas are expected to be approved by ASEAN chiefs of military medicine during the three - day event.

The meeting aims to promote solidarity, friendship and mutual understanding among ASEAN military medical officers.

Director General of the Ministry of Defence’s Military Medicine Department Colonel Vu Quoc Binh highlighted the importance of military medical co-operation among ASEAN countries in confronting non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, natural disasters and pandemics.

“Today’s meeting shows our determination to deal with common and trans-national security challenges such as infectious diseases and natural disasters,” stressed Binh.

“We wish to integrate military medical activities to create an aggregate strength with a view to effectively addressing common issues of the ASEAN community such as preventing emerging and re-emerging pandemics and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters,” said Binh.

Countries would work together in their various fields of expertise, and provide training for one another, he added.

The Viet Nam Military Medicine Department has medical co-operative relations with 30 nations and Memoranda of Understanding with nine nations. Through these relations, they have co-operated in the prevention and treatment of malaria, dengue fever, HIV/AIDS, swine flu and bird flu.

Viet Nam has also co-operated with Laos and Cambodia under the provision of a tri-nation protocol that involves training medical officers about the examination, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.