Vietnamese Embassies celebrate National Day; August Revolution and National Day celebrated abroad; Defence Ministry receives Russian experts; Russian oil group to ramp up cooperation with Vietnam

Parramatta City’s mayor Tony Issa and Vietnamese Consulate General Vu Hong Nam August 29 hoist the Vietnam flag at the city’s hall to mark Vietnam National Day (Sept.2).

Oversea Vietnamese and Vietnamese Embassies in Australia, Laos and Egypt organized activities to mark the country’s 64th National Day (September 2).

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney, Australia, and Parramatta City Council, New South Wales, organized a Vietnam – Australia flag hoisting ceremony to mark Vietnam National Day at the city hall on August 29.

Speaking at the ceremony, city’s mayor Tony Issa welcomed the Vietnamese community’s efforts in Parramatta.

He recalled the fine and swift economic development of Vietnam when Vietnamese joined a Parramatta City Council delegation to visit its twinned town, Vung Tau, at the beginning of the year.

Vietnamese Consulate General Vu Hong Nam said the Vietnam – Australia flag hoisting ceremony became a symbol of friendship between the two nations.

The Vietnamese Embassy and oversea Vietnamese in Laos gathered to organize many cultural activities to mark the August Revolution and National Day over the past few days.

Le Dung, chairman of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Laos, said overseas Vietnamese’ good sentiments in Laos, and reaffirmed Vietnamese in Laos are always united and help each other and bare the responsibilities of being citizens in Laos.

He also reminded overseas Vietnamese to not forget Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt organized a meeting to gather the small Vietnamese community who are living and working in the country on the occasion of the August Revolution and National Day.

Earlier, the Vietnamese Embassy and Ho Chi Minh Youth Union Branch in Egypt organized some sport competitions and art performances to salute the August Revolution and National Day.

Vietnam succeeds in coping with economic downturn

The Granma newspaper, official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba, ran a cover story on August 29 to highlight Vietnam’s success in coping with the global economic meltdown.

The article praised Vietnam’s achievements in reducing the number of poor households and the Vietnamese Party, State and Government’s attention to education and training as well as the lives of war victims, veterans and retirees.

On the occasion, the newspaper also ran an interview with the Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba, Vu Chi Cong about Vietnam’s outstanding achievements in socio-economic development in recent years and the solidarity, friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

The Vietnamese Ambassador recalled the historic moment on September 2, 1945 when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, declaring to the world the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Regarding the socio-economic situation in Vietnam, Cong said that despite the falling prices of Vietnam’s key export products on the global market, the country is expected to reach an economic growth rate of 4.3 percent this year. The number of poor households dropped from 55 percent before the Doi Moi (Renewal) period to 11 percent at present. Vietnam is currently focusing investment in education, human resources training and environmental protection, said Cong.

Next year will be an importance year for Vietnam as the country will celebrate the 65th anniversary of its National Day, the 120th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Cuba.

Over the past years, bilateral relations have flourished in all fields of politics, economics and social affairs. Both sides have recently promoted dialogues through the recent meeting between State President Nguyen Minh Triet and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit held in Egypt.

August Revolution and National Day celebrated abroad

The Vietnamese flag was raised together with the Australian flag on August 29 in a ceremony in New South Wales aimed at celebrating the 64th year of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2).

Addressing the ceremony held in Parramatta city, New South Wales, Lord Mayor Tony Issa praised the contribution made by the Vietnamese community to the development and cultural diversity of the city.

“Today is an opportunity for us in Parramatta to express our ongoing commitment to the country of Vietnam and to the city of Vung Tau, he said.

Vietnamese Consul General Vu Hong Nam said that the annual flag raising ceremony becomes the symbol of the friendship not only in the two cities but also the live symbol of friendship in the government level.

He also expressed his hope that Vung Tau and Parramatta will find more appropriate form of cooperation so the two sides could bring their sister relationship to the higher level, the level of mutual cooperation and assistance.

Many cultural and sports activities were held in Laos over the days by the Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese community to celebrate the August Revolution and National Day.

Among others were badminton, football, and petanque competitions.

Defence Ministry receives Russian experts

Defence Deputy Minister Truong Quang Khanh on August 29 met with a delegation of Russian experts who helped Vietnam in preserving the body of President Ho Chi Minh.

Scientists and experts from the former Soviet Union and now the Russian Federation have made a great and effective contribution to preserving President Ho Chi Minh’s body, Khanh told the visiting delegation at his ministry’s headquarters.

They provided not only technical assistance and equipment for the preservation but also useful training for Vietnamese scientists and research students, he said.

Their wholehearted support and assistance will remain in the heart of the Vietnamese people and army, he stressed.

On behalf of the delegation, Deputy Director of the Moscow Biomedical Research Centre Naidin Antoly Vladimirrovich thanked the Vietnamese side for its warm-hearted welcome.

In the time to come, the centre will continue cooperating and exchanging experiences with Vietnamese scientists and experts in preserving President Ho Chi Minh’s body, he said.

Russian oil group to ramp up cooperation with Vietnam

Russian oil and gas group Zarubezhneft will expand cooperation with the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and other Vietnamese partners, according to a Zarubezhneft executive.

The statement was made by Nikolai Brunich, Director General of Zarubezhneft, at a meeting with Vietnamese Party politburo member Truong Tan Sang in Hanoi on August 29 during his current working visit to Vietnam.

Mr Brunich said that Zarubezhneft always attaches importance to cooperation with Vietnamese partners, committing to effectively implementing projects on oil and gas exploration and production in cooperation with PetroVietnam.

The group leader said Zarubezhneft will grant scholarships for Vietnamese students to study in Russia with the aim of preparing human resources for cooperative projects with PetroVietnam.

Truong Tan Sang spoke highly of the two oil and gas groups ‘ cooperation and new agreements in Vietnam, Russia and third countries. He stated that the Vietnamese State has created the best possible conditions for businesses from the two countries, particularly PetroVietnam and Zarubezhneft, to exploit their potential for the long-term benefit of the two peoples.

Kien Giang boosts friendship with Cambodia’s Kep province

The southern province of Kien Giang on August 29 presented 50 wheelchairs to the disabled in Cambodia’s Kep province and granted scholarships worth US$2,000 to the Cambodian students there.

The gifts were handed over by the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association’s Chapter in Kien Giang and Kien Giang’s Union of Friendship Organizations at a debut ceremony for the executive board of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association in Kep province.

Private computers and US$500 in initial financial aid were also given to the province on this occasion.

The event was attended by the Cambodian Standing Deputy Prime Minister, Men Sam An, and the Chairman of Kien Giang’s Union of Friendship Organizations, Le Van Hong, who is on a working visit to Kep province.

Mr Hong and his entourage toured the local scenery as well as cultural and historical relic sites in Phnom Penh during their stay in Cambodia.

PV