Vietnam, Indonesia promote cooperation; President receives newly-accredited ambassadors; Diverse activities mark August Revolution and National Day; Vietnam mourns death of former RoK President

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong made the statement during his talks in Hanoi on August 19 with the speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, Agung Laksono.

Mr Trong noted that together with Indonesia, Vietnam has fulfilled its task at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member and it is actively preparing to host the 31st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Hanoi in 2010.

“We are very happy that relations between the two countries and legislative bodies have developed well recently,” said Mr Trong. “They have cooperated well in bilateral and multi-lateral forums. The Vietnam National Assembly wants to share experiences with Indonesia’s House of Representatives.”

Speaker Laksono praised Vietnam’s Renewal achievements, saying despite the global economic crisis, Vietnam has still achieved positive economic growth. He hoped that Vietnam would share its development experiences with Indonesia to help the latter meet its goal of securing a 6-percent GDP growth rate.

He said that both Indonesia and Vietnam should cooperate closely with other ASEAN members to successfully build a united ASEAN Community by 2015 as enshrined in its Charter.

Both host and guest shared the view that economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia remains modest, which has yet to match their potential. Two-way trade reached US$2.2 billion last year and just nearly US$1 billion in the first half of 2009.

The two countries should take measures to effectively carry out their cooperation programmes, they said.

Mr Trong proposed that the two countries sign a memorandum of understanding on borders and joint patrols at sea and early recognise each other’s post-graduate certificates.

Vietnam is ready to receive Indonesian students to study in the country, said Mr Trong. He expressed his hope that Indonesia will increase more scholarships for Vietnamese students in its country.

Meanwhile, speaker Laksono proposed that the two legislative bodies and their agencies increase the exchange of visits to boost development in their respective countries.

During talks, parliamentarians and businesses of Vietnam and Indonesia exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, including their policies to attract foreign investment, gender equality and experiences in overcoming the adverse impact of the global economic crisis.

Shortly after that, Chairman Trong and Speaker Laksono held a joint press conference on the results of the talks.

The same day, State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received the Indonesian Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Vietnamese leaders confirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening traditional friendship and cooperation with Indonesia. They said that Vietnam encourages Indonesian businesses to invest in Vietnam and that it will send businesses to explore and expand cooperation with their Indonesian counterparts.

President Triet and PM Dung congratulated Indonesia on its successful results of the recent general elections and believed that Indonesian people will continue to reap greater achievements in national construction and development.

Speaker Laksono extended President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s invitation to President Triet and PM Dung to visit Indonesia at an appropriate time.

The police encouraged to contribute more to nation

The Party, State and people praise the Vietnam People’s Police for their outstanding contributions to the country’s revolutionary cause, says President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Addressing an inauguration ceremony for the guard force’s Traditional House in Hanoi on August 19, Mr Triet noted that the police, including the guard force, have fulfilled their tasks of maintaining public security and safety and staunchly defending the fruits of the revolution.

He said that the police have kept pace with the country’s social progress, making a positive contribution to the cause of national development during the Doi Moi (Renewal) process.

He praised the guard force for its loyalty, hard work and tireless efforts to protect senior officials and key agencies of the Party and State and to ensure the proper handling of domestic and foreign affairs.

President Triet suggested that the Ministry of Public Security pay more attention to educating young generations about the glorious tradition of the force to accomplish its political duty.

The Traditional House, built at Le Hong Phong Street, Hanoi, displays more than 400 items connected with the establishment and development of the guard force during the past decades.

PM urges Lam Dong to tap potential for growth

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged Lam Dong province to make full use of its advantages in terms of climate and natural resources to develop agriculture, forestry,

aquaculture, tourism, services and mineral processing industries in a sustainable manner.

During his tour of the Central Highlands province on August 18-19, PM Dung met with key local officials, hailing the province’s efforts to fulfill the 2006-2010 socio-economic targets this year.

The province strives for a 12.5-13.5 percent growth in GDP, a per capita income of VND16.5 million, and a rate of poor households under 8.5 percent.

In the first seven months of this year, the province’s GDP growth was 10.7 percent, and exports rose 11 percent.

The Government is willing to allocate capital in advance for the implementation of urgent projects, Mr Dung said, asking the province to create all necessary for attracting investment, particularly in tourism.

The province needs to quickly apply science and technology and improve the quality of development in high-tech agriculture, such as flowers, vegetables, fruit, tea, coffee and cold-water fish.

Blessed with a temperate climate and an abundance of natural resources, Lam Dong should focus investment on turning the tourism and services sectors into its flagship industries, the PM said.

President receives newly-accredited ambassadors

Vietnam wishes to expand its friendship and cooperation with international friends in all spheres, for the sake of peace, independence, stability and development in the region and the world.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet made the statement while receiving newly accredited ambassadors from Israel, Sudan, East Timor, Jamaica and Guatemala in Hanoi on August 19.

They are were Amnon Efrat of Israel, Adil Ibrahim Mustafa Ahmed of Sudan, Juvencio de Jesus Martins of East Timor, Earle Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica and Rafael Antonio Salazar-Galvez of Guatemala.

President Triet expressed his hope that the ambassadors would join with relevant Vietnamese agencies to put forth proposals and initiatives aimed at boosting the relationship between Vietnam and their countries. He also wished the ambassadors success during their terms of office in the country.

Diverse activities mark August Revolution and National Day

A number of activities have been held in many localities throughout the country to celebrate the 64th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2).

*** The Youth Liaison Committee from the Hoang Dieu Citadel and the Hanoi Municipal Youth Union held a traditional get-together in the capital city of Hanoi to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Committee for Youth Mobilisation.

Former youth union members relived their memories and the contributions they made to the historic victory of the 1945 August Revolution.

***A fine arts exhibition is being held by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association in collaboration with the Literature and Fine Arts Association under the Department of Sports, Culture and Tourism in central Binh Dinh province.

The highlight of the exhibition is a portrayal of Vietnam, its land and people and beautiful scenery.

*** Meanwhile, a series of cultural and sporting activities took place in Danang City to mark the occasion.

In Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, the HCM Communist Youth Union and the Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB) launched a programme to grant 180 scholarships to poor pupils who have recorded excellent academic achievements.

Vietnam mourns death of former RoK President

The State, Government and people of Vietnam were saddened after hearing of the death of former President of the Republic of Korea Kim Dae-jung, said the Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Le Dung.

Answering questions by the press on the death of the former RoK President, on August 18, Dung affirmed that Kim Dae-jung was a close friend of Vietnam, who made great contributions to developing two-way ties of friendship and cooperation, as well as boosting peace and cooperation in the region and the world.

The Vietnamese State, Government and people have, and will always, hold former President Kim Dae-jung in high esteem for what he did for Vietnam, he said.
He said that the whole country would like to convey their deep condolences to Kim Dae-jung’s family, the RoK Government and Korean people.

PM extends condolences over Russian hydro-electric power plant accident

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent a message of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 18 over the loss of human life caused by a hydrop-electric power plant accident in East Siberia.

At least 11 people were killed and 15 injured after an engine room at the Sayano-Shushenskaya plant, Russia ’s largest hydro-electric power station, was flooded with water on August 17, according to ITAR-TASS.

Libyan Revolution Day celebrated in Hanoi

The Vietnam Committee for Solidarity with Libyan Arab People (VCSLAP) and the Libyan Economic Cooperation Office in Vietnam met in Hanoi on August 18 to celebrate the 40th Libyan Al Fateh Revolution Day (September 1).

Addressing the meeting, CVSLAP Chairman Nguyen Tan Trinh expressed his pleasure at Libya’s socio-economic achievements over the past 40 years, stressing that these achievements manifested the Libyan people’s vitality, solidarity and determination to develop the country into a strong nation.

PV