The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assigned Nguyen Phuong Nga as its new spokesperson, replacing Le Dung, who will assume a new job.

The chief representative of Xinhua News in Vietnam congratulated Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nga as the new spokesperson for the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry.

Nga, 43, studied international journalism in Russia from 1982 to 1987 and has worked at MOFA since early 1989. She is currently Chief of MOFA’s Information and Press Department. She can speak English, Russian and French.

Speaking at the Foreign Ministry’s press conference in Hanoi on August 20, Nga said that she hoped to receive the same cooperation and support from the Vietnamese media, as well as foreign news agencies and foreign diplomatic agencies in Vietnam, that her predecessor Le Dung had enjoyed.

Nga announced that a forum to promote investment in the Central Highlands will be held in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province on September 5.

She also said that Vietnam and Australia participated in the 5^th regional security dialogue in Hanoi on August 20-21.

Answering journalists’ questions about the opening of a Vietnamese consulate general in Houston, Texas, USA, Nga said that under the agreement between the two governments, Vietnam will open its consulate general in Houston not later than September 2009.

PV