Iceland wants to increase cooperation with Vietnam; Vietnamese and Cambodia police sign cooperation accord; Algeria keen to strengthen ties with Vietnam; An Giang urged to promote sci-tech applications in agricultural development

The national great unity bloc should be further promoted in the future, especially in the context of the country’s economic integration and industrialisation and modernisation, said President Nguyen Minh Triet.

At a working session with the Committee for Ethnic Minorities in Hanoi on March 17, President Triet praised ethnic minority areas’ development in recent years, with people’s material and spiritual lives being much improved, helping strengthen the solidarity among Vietnamese ethnic groups.

These achievements manifested the Party and State’s deep attention to the development of ethnic minority areas as well as the efforts of ethnic minority people, he said.

The President called for more campaigns to raise ethnic people’s awareness of those arguments and schemes which are aimed at sabotaging the national great unity bloc.

Ethnic minority people constitute a component of the Vietnamese nation which has made active contributions to the national struggles for independence and development, he stressed.

The President also urged the committee to give priorities to developing infrastructure in ethnic people-inhabited areas, facilitating investment as well as programmes on poverty reduction, health, education and culture in those areas.

Algeria keen to strengthen ties with Vietnam

The Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has expressed keen interest in enhancing friendly ties between his country and Vietnam.

He told the Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria, Do Trong Cuong, on March 17 that Algeria will create the best possible conditions for bilateral cooperation and will have a number of projects reserved for Vietnam in the fields of construction and education.

During the reception, President Bouteflika spoke highly of the links that both countries have established so far and Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements.

An Giang urged to promote sci-tech applications in agricultural development

An Giang province should apply science and technology to increase the value of agricultural products, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

PM Dung made the request while working with key provincial leaders on March 18 during his visit to the Mekong Delta province.

He stressed that An Giang needs to understand market demand, promote export activities and build production and consumption plans, with a focus on developing the processing and service sectors.

The Government leader praised provincial authorities and the people’s socio-economic achievements, especially in the field of agriculture. An Giang leads the country in rice output and aquaculture products. However, the province’s industrial sector is growing at a slow speed, accounting for only 11 percent of its GDP – the lowest figure in the Mekong Delta region, Mr Dung noted.

Regarding tra and basa catfish breeding activities, PM Dung said it is essential to have detailed plans on the breeding, purchasing and processing of these products in the long term. He asked An Giang to carefully manage the quality of aquacultural products for export and synchronize breeding activities with consumption demand.

The PM also urged provincial authorities to focus on vocational training for workers, as well as upgrading infrastructure and facilities for An Giang University.

He called for the simplification of administrative procedures and the effective disbursement of official development assistance (ODA) loans in order to prevent an economic recession. He requested that An Giang implement the Government’s demand stimulus measures, boost poverty reduction programmes and ensure the social welfare of the local people.

Earlier, PM Dung and his delegation laid a wreath and offered incense at the late State President Ton Duc Thang’s monument and visited Long Xuyen city.

Vietnamese and Cambodia police sign cooperation accord

Vietnam and Cambodia signed a protocol in Phnom Penh on March 17 to strengthen cooperation between their police forces.

Signatories were Cambodian Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Le Hong Anh who is in Phnom Penh on an official visit from March 16-19.

The two ministers agreed to promote cooperation by increasing the exchange of their delegations and personnel training.

They reviewed the result of their ministries’ cooperation programmes and shared experiences in the fight against the trafficking of women, children, drugs and other crimes to maintain political security and social stability along their shared border.

During his stay, Mr Anh met with Prime Minister Hun Sen, laid a wreath at the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument and visited some police units.

Iceland wants to increase cooperation with Vietnam

Iceland attaches importance to promoting its relations with Vietnam and is willing to share experiences and cooperate with the latter in seacooking exploitation and processing, renewable energy usage and environmental protection.

Iceland President Olafur Ragna Grimsson made the statement while receiving Vietnamese ambassador Vu Van Luu, who presented his credentials to the President on March 17.

The President spoke highly of Vietnam’s achievements during the past struggles for independence and expressed his delight at the country’s current achievements in the process of economic renovation and development.

He also recalled his last visit to Vietnam in 1990 with deep impressions and expressed his hope to come back to Vietnam to strengthen bilateral relations.
For his part, ambassador Luu expressed his gratitude for the Icelandic President’s passion and care rendered to the Vietnamese state and people.

Mr Luu wished that the Icelandic people, under the leadership of their President, will soon overcome difficulties caused by the current economic crisis.

VNN/VNA/VOV