President receives newly accredited ambassadors; Competition launched to design logo of ASEAN 2010; Egypt courts Vietnam’s help in seacooking development; Indonesian speaker visits Vietnam

The Government leader also told provincial leaders, during his visit on August 17, to increase investment in the transport infrastructure and irrigation network to ensure sustainable agricultural development

“Ca Mau should focus on improving education and health care as well as speeding capital disbursements,” Mr Dung emphasised.

He pledged to consider the province’s proposals and make final decisions as soon as possible to help it overcome difficulties.

The Government leader called at the Ca Mau Gas, Electricity and Fertiliser Industrial Zone where power plants have been put into operation earlier than scheduled.

“The two power plants have made a considerable contribution to helping the country overcome a power shortage in recent years” he said.

He called for a greater effort to speed up the construction of the nitrogenous fertiliser factory.

The Prime Minister urged the project investor, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, commonly known as PetroVietnam, to provide employment, especially for those young people of working age from over 220 families displaced by the project.

President receives newly accredited ambassadors

Vietnam wants to expand cooperative ties with Argentina, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Austria, says State President Triet.

President Triet made the statement while receiving newly accredited ambassadors from the five countries who came to present credentials to him in Hanoi on August 18.

Mr Triet proposed that the ambassadors work closely with relevant Vietnamese agencies to increase the exchange of visits at all levels to fully tap the potential for cooperation between Vietnam and their countries.

The ambassadors praised Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements despite the adverse impact of the global recession.

They conveyed best regards from their heads of state to Mr Triet and vowed to promote friendship and cooperation between their countries and Vietnam.

Indonesia’s National Day observed in HCM City

A meeting was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18 to mark the 64th anniversary of the founding of Republic of Indonesia (August 17).

Addressing the function, Consul General Mochamad Alimudin Arifin Pohan noted with satisfaction the current growth of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia, which was started and nurtured by late presidents Sukarno and Ho Chi Minh. He said the opening of a direct air route between HCM City and Jakarta, scheduled for September 2009, will help Indonesian and Vietnamese tourists learn more about each other’s culture.

Bilateral relations have developed rapidly since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1955. Last year’s two-way trade reached more than US$2.5 billion, up 2.7 percent against 2007. Indonesia imports mostly rice, coffee, tea and rubber from Vietnam. So far it has poured US$180 million into 22 investment projects in Vietnam.

Competition launched to design logo of ASEAN 2010

The logo of ASEAN 2010 should reflect the spirit of solidarity and unity within the ASEAN bloc, highlight the year 2010 in which Vietnam will assume the role of ASEAN’s President and express cultural identity of Vietnam.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem made the statement at a ceremony held in Hanoi on August 18 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to launch a competition to design a logo for ASEAN 2010.

Mr Khiem added that the winning logo will be used in all mass media in the year 2010 when Vietnam will celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi. He added that the logo should be simple, modern, highly artistic and easy to print or reproduce in all kinds of materials.

The focus of ASEAN 2010 will be on putting ASEAN Charter into practice, strengthening cooperation with non-ASEAN partners and hastening the construction of an ASEAN community based on with three pillars: political-security, economic and socio-cultural.

Egypt courts Vietnam’s help in seafood development

Egypt wants to boost cooperation and needs Vietnam’s assistance in developing its seafood sector, which is one of the country’s strength, said Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif while receiving Vietnamese Ambassador, Pham Sy Tam to Egypt on August 17.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese diplomat reviewed the situation in Vietnam in recent times. Vietnam is a non- permanent member at the UN Security Council and will assume the rotating ASEAN Presidency next year. The country boasts a great deal of potential and opportunities for economic cooperation with foreign investors. Vietnam wants to boost cooperation with Egypt as it holds an important position in the Middle East and Africa as well as the Arab World, said Tam.

Two-way trade turnover between the two countries remains low as they have not yet tapped each other’s potential effectively. The Vietnamese Ambassador asked both countries to promote the exchange of products and accelerate the implementation of agreements and memorandums of understanding signed by their joint sub-committees in October last year.

On the occasion, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, Prime Minister Ahmed Nzif and Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit were invited to visit Vietnam in the future.

For his part, the Egyptian PM said that Vietnam plays an important role in South East Asia much like Egypt’s crucial role in the Arab World.

Both sides have great potential for bilateral cooperation, however, their cooperation is still limited. Therefore, they should further promote bilateral cooperation in every field, stressed Mr Ahmed Nazif.

The Egyptian PM also invited his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung to visit Egypt at an appropriate time.

Vietnam strengthens ties with Philippines

Vietnam and the Philippines will continue to improve their relations for the common benefit of the two countries for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large, said deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem on August 17.

Mr. Khiem made the comments during a reception for Filipino Deputy Foreign Ministry Enrique Manalo in Hanoi.

The same day, Deputy Foreign Minister Dao Viet Trung, and Deputy Minister Manalo co-chaired the Vietnam-Philippines Joint Committee Senior Officials Meeting.

At the meetings, the two sides expressed delight at the development of bilateral friendship and multi-faceted co-operation in various fields, particularly in politics, trade, investment, education, and training and security and national defence.

They discussed measures to boost co-operation between the two countries and agreed to organise the sixth meeting of the joint committee in Hanoi next year.

They also discussed regional and international issues of common concern, particularly co-operation within the ASEAN framework when Vietnam assumes the role ASEAN’s President in 2010.

Indonesian speaker visits Vietnam

A delegation from the Indonesia’s House of Representatives, headed by Speaker Agung Laksono, arrived in Hanoi on August 17 on a three-day official visit to Vietnam.

The visit is at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

Apart from members of the House of Representatives, the delegation also includes Indonesian businessmen.

VN-Philippines committee holds senior officials’ meeting

The Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of the Vietnam-Philippines joint committee met in Hanoi on August 17.

The meeting, in preparation for the sixth session of the two countries’ joint committee, was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Dao Viet Trung and his Filipino counterpart Enrique Manalo.

The two sides reviewed the results of cooperation between the two nations, especially in politics, economics, trade, investment, education and training and security and national defence since the fifth session of the joint committee held in Manila in February, 2008.

They also discussed measures to further boost bilateral cooperation and agreed that the sixth Vietnam-Philippines joint-committee meeting, co-chaired by two Foreign Ministers, will be held in Hanoi in 2010.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, particularly cooperation within the ASEAN framework, in the lead up to Vietnam’s taking over the bloc’s presidency next year.

Earlier the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem received Filipino Deputy FM Enrique Manalo.

The Deputy PM and FM expressed hope that Vietnam and the Philippines will further intensify bilateral cooperation, especially at international forums, for mutual benefit, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.

Deputy FM Manalo said he expected the sixth session of the Vietnam-Philippines joint committee will be a success, bringing benefit to both nations.

Political theory course for Lao officials begins

A political theory course opened at the Ho Chi Minh National Institute of Politics and Administration (HNIPA) in Hanoi on August 17 for high-ranking leaders from Laos.

During the five-month course in Vietnam, 20 Lao officials will have a chance to study Marxist-Leninist theory and the thoughts of Ho Chi Minh, as well as the policies and guidelines of the Vietnamese Party and State.

The course will also help the trainees gain a comprehensive knowledge of the current era, strategic thinking and social sciences and humanities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, HNIPA Director Le Huu Nghia said over the past years, the institute has trained hundreds of high-ranking Lao officials with a view to consolidating and developing the special friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sunthon Saynhachac said that the Party and State of Laos highly value Vietnam’s assistance in developing human resources for his country.

PV