Prime Minister to attend ASEAN meetings; Vietnam, Laos strengthen cooperation in publication; Vietnam supports UN Security Council reform; Vietnam calls for solidarity in Guinea Bissau

Speaking at the regular press briefing in Hanoi on April 9, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung explained that as per the common goal of joining hands to cope with global challenges, leaders from ASEAN, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand.

Vietnam, Laos strengthen cooperation in publication

The Vietnam’s National Politics Publishing House and the Lao State Publishing and Book Distribution House on April 8 signed a minutes to strengthen bilateral ties.

Accordingly, the Vietnamese publishing house will assist its Lao counterpart in personnel training and infrastructure upgrading. It will also send technical workers to help Laos’ printing factory and equip it with new printers.

The two sides will co-ordinate in publishing a book on late President Kaysone Phomvihan and another on Laos’ ideological, political and cultural missions.

The Lao side appreciated the assistance of the Vietnam publishing house in printing its publications and documents, including a book named “Ho Chi Minh’s poems” which has been translated into Lao language.

During the eight-day stay in Laos, the Vietnam publishing house delegation was received by the Head of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Education Commission Phanhdouangchith Vongsa, and Lao Minister of Information and Culture, Mounkeo Oraboun.

Vietnam supports UN Security Council reform

A Vietnamese representative to the United Nations has affirmed Vietnam’s support to reform the UN Security Council towards higher transparency, democracy, efficiency and representativeness.

Addressing inter-governmental discussions within the framework of the council’s unofficial plenums from Feb.19-April 8, Ambassador Hoang Chi Trung, Vietnam’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, said the UNSC should renew its way of operation in order to facilitate non-member countries’ approach and contributions to its work.

The diplomat stressed that Vietnam also supports the promotion of cooperation between the UNSC and other UN bodies such as the General Assembly and Secretariat, as well as to step up dialogues and consultations between the council and relevant parties and regional organisations.

He also voiced the country’s support for the council’s expansion with additional 9 or 10 members to increase its membership to 24 or 25, including both permanent and non-permanent members with priority given to developing countries.

As scheduled, the General Assembly will start the second round of inter-governmental discussions on the UNSC’s reform in early May.

Vietnam calls for solidarity in Guinea Bissau

Vietnam calls on all parties in Guinea Bissau to accord utmost priorities to national interests to help maintain the national peace and stability and organize the presidential elections slated for June 28, 2009.

Vietnamese alternate representative to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Dang Hoang Giang made the statement at a UNSC consultation meeting on the situation of Guinea Bissau in New York on April 8.

Noting the calm situation in the country since the swearing-ceremony of Interim President, Dr. Raimundo Pereira, the Vietnamese diplomat, however, condemned the assassinations of Guinea Bissau President Vieira and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces General Na Waie, in early March 2009. He voiced his support to efforts to bring to justice those responsible.

Giang confirmed Vietnam’s continued support to the role being played by the UN, the UN Peace-Building Support Office in Guinea Bissau (UNOGBIS), the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the international community in the process of peace-building, reconciliation and integration.

VietNamNet/VNA