Vietnam, Venezuela increase oil cooperation; President receives US professor; Party delegation visits Laos; President appreciates humanitarian activities for the disabled; State leader affirms better care for Agent Orange victims

Oil and gas cooperation should become an exemplary role model in relations of multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Venezuela, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Mr Triet made the statement while receiving Asdrubal Chavez, vice president of the Venezuelan State-owned petroleum corporation (PDVSA), in Hanoi on August 8.

He expressed his pleasure at the recent development of bilateral relations and said that besides economic gains, Vietnamese and Venezuelan businesses should take into account the fine political ties, friendship and solidarity between the two nations.

Mr Triet extended his best regards to his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez.

Asdrubal Chavez briefed Mr Triet on the results of his working session with leaders of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and affirmed that bilateral ties have been progressing since Mr Triet’s official visit to the Latin American nation last November.

PDVSA appreciates the results of cooperation programmes with PetroVietnam and wants to increase ties with the Vietnamese State-owned petroleum group, said the PDVSA vice president.

President receives US professor

President Nguyen Minh Triet on August 7 received Prof. Philip Alperson, Director of the Vietnam Philosophy, Culture and Society Centre from Temple University in the US State of Pennsylvania.

Mr Triet praised Prof. Philip Alperson and his associates for their efforts to study and promote the Vietnamese culture in the US. He spoke of the recent developments in the Vietnam-US relations and said that Vietnam wants to increase educational cooperation with the US.

Prof. Pro. Alperson briefed Mr Triet on his centre’s activities, saying Temple University is the sole educational institution in the US to carry out comprehensive studies on Vietnam.

Established in September 2004, he said the centre has worked together with Vietnamese colleagues to organise study programmes, workshops, exchanges and courses on the Vietnamese language as well as making films about the Vietnamese culture. It has also worked closely with the Vietnam National Academy of Music and Vietnam National University to send Vietnamese students to study at Temple University.

Prof. Alperson affirmed that through their studies, his centre wishes to promote understanding between the two nations.

Party delegation visits Laos

A delegation of the Party Commission for External Relations, led by its head Hoang Binh Quan, began a three-day working visit to Laos on August 7.

The delegation held a working session with a delegation of the Commission for External Relations of the Lao People Revolutionary Party, headed by Thongloun Sisoulith, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Chairman of the commission.

They informed each other about socio-economic development in their respective countries and forecast about the impact of the global financial crisis on their economies and social welfare. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The two sides agreed to set up a joint working group to oversee Vietnam’s ODA projects in Laos. They worked on a memorandum of understanding on future cooperation to be signed in Laos in 2010.

President appreciates humanitarian activities for the disabled

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has applauded humanitarian and charity organisations for taking care of disadvantaged people, especially handicapped children and orphans, helping them integrate into the community.

While receiving a delegation of the Vietnam Relief Association for Handicapped Children (VRAHC) in Hanoi on August 7, Mr Triet called on the association and other philanthropists to carry out more humanitarian activities to support the needy.

VRAHC was established in 1993 to mobilise community assistance and open establishments to provide medical check-ups and treatment, rehabilitation, vocational training and jobs for disabled children. Currently, it has established branches in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces and 36 relief centres and houses at the grassroots level.

Nearly 600,000 handicapped children have so far received medical check-ups and treatment, and over 5,800 have undergone surgeries. About 1,200 handicapped children have been provided with vocational training and employment.

The association has also performed surgeries on children with disabilities in Laos and Cambodia.

State leader affirms better care for Agent Orange victims

The Party and State always pay special attention to improving the spiritual and material life of victims of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin, said Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan.
Ms Doan made the statement while receiving a delegation of the Vietnam Association for Victims of AO/Dioxin Victims from the Central Highland province of Lam Dong, in Hanoi on August 7.

She expressed her sympathy for the victims who have suffered the lingering pain for years and encouraged them to overcome daily hardship to integrate into the community and contribute to society.

She called on people of conscience worldwide to support the Vietnamese victims’ lawsuit against American chemical companies that supplied the toxic chemicals to the US army for sprays during the Vietnam war.

Lam Dong was a hotbed of US chemical spray during the war.
PV