NA leader meets with Cambodia’s Deputy Attorney General; VN President affirms ties with Kuwait; Deputy PM visits Cambodia; Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam exchange legislative experiences; New friendship association to boost Vietnam, Iran ties

The delegation, led by Deputy Attorney General, Chhuon Chantha, is on a visit to Vietnam from September 20-24.

Speaking on the occasion, NA Vice chairman highlighted the results of cooperation between the two countries in various fields like mineral mining, agriculture, and rubber planting. Two-way trade turnover has risen annually and is expected to reach US$2 billion in 2010, he said.

The Vice President of the OAG thanked the Vietnamese people for supporting Cambodia in the past struggle against Pol Pot’s genocidal regime as well as in the current process of national development. He stated that the traditional relationship between the two countries will continue to develop in the future.

In its first visit to Vietnam, the Cambodian OAG delegation will work with the Hanoi People’s Procuracy and leaders of Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh provinces to strengthen the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

VN President affirms ties with Kuwait

Vietnam attaches great importance to promoting friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Kuwait, especially in economics, trade, investment, science-technology , tourism and labour.

President Nguyen Minh Triet made the statement at a reception for Ahmad Abdulla Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Minister of Oil and Information in Hanoi on September 21.

He affirmed that Vietnam is a reliable investment destination for Kuwaiti businesses, citing oil and gas exploration and exploitation as a potential area for cooperation.

Minister Ahmad Al-Sabah briefed Mr Triet on the results of his working sessions with relevant Vietnamese agencies and stressed that Kuwait wants to establish a partnership with Vietnam.

He said Kuwait is joining a Vietnamese partner to build the Nghi Son petrochemical refinery complex in Thanh Hoa province and its investment in the project is expected to amount to US$8 billion. The Middle East country is offering the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) the chance to penetrate its energy market.

The two countries have established the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation which is scheduled to convene its first session this December to draw up cooperation plans.

The Minister said that Kuwait is considering granting scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in his country.

Deputy PM visits Cambodia

A high-level Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong began an official visit to Cambodia on September 21 to step up bilateral cooperation in preventing and combating drugs and HIV/AIDS.

From September 21-24, the deputy PM and his delegation will meet with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ke Kim Yan, and other senior officials.

Deputy PM Trong is expected to visit the Aukas Khnhom drug detoxification centre in Phnompenh, and present a quantity of medicine to the Cambodian National Steering Committee for Drug Prevention and Control to help drug addicts detoxify.

Currently, Cambodia wants to work closer with Vietnam and exchange information on preventing trans-national drug traffickers, building drug free communes in border areas and drug detoxification centres as well as exchanging methods of training staff who specialise in drug and HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam exchange legislative experiences

The national assemblies of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia held a workshop in Vung Tau city, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on September 21 to exchange their experiences in legislation and supervision in the context of the global economic crisis.

With technical support from the UNDP, the participants discussed the impact of the economic slowdown on the three countries and the role of national assembly deputies.

At the event, the Chairwoman of the Vietnam National Assembly, Tong Thi Phong, highlighted the traditional mutual assistance between the countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

She said that globalization strongly influences national policies, and whatever happens in one of the three countries has a far-reaching impact on the other countries.

New friendship association to boost Vietnam, Iran ties

The Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association (VIFA) met in Hanoi on September 20 for its first congress in the 2009-2014 term.

The congress appointed Dang Nhu Loi, Deputy Head of the Vietnam National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs, as president of the association.

Nguyen Quoc Thap, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, and Nguyen Toan Thang, CEO of Vietnam Vegetable and Fruit and Agricultural Product Corporation, were named vice presidents.

Founded by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), the association is expected to help increase mutual understanding among people of Vietnam and Iran, strengthen and develop the friendship and cooperation between the two nations in various areas including economics, trade, science and technology, culture and education and training.

In the recent past, Vietnam and Iran have exchanged high-ranking delegations and accelerated economic cooperation, especially in oil and gas exploitation and agriculture.

Two-way trade has steadily risen to 80 million USD in 2008 from just about 30 million USD in 2003.

The Association’s founding ceremony was attended by VUFO leader, representatives of Vietnamese ministries and Iranian Ambassador to Vietnam Seyed Javad G.Shahidi.

Belarus considers Vietnam strategic partner

The Chairman of the Council of the National Assembly of Belarus, Boris Batura, has said that Belarus always regards Vietnam as its strategic partners.

The remark was made at his reception for the General Auditor of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue city, in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on September 17.

The visit to Belarus by the delegation of senior officials from the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) will help improve the relationship between SAV and the State Control Committee of Belarus, Mr Batura said.

Together with an agreement signed by the two agencies in 2008, the visit has further strengthened the cooperation between the two countries, he noted.

On September 16, the SAV delegation had a meeting with a delegation from the State Control Committee of Belarus headed by Chairman Z.K Lomas.

The two delegations discussed concrete measures to strengthen their cooperation under the 2008 agreement as well as in the framework of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

Hung Temples complex gets Special Historical Relic status

The Hung Temples complex, which is dedicated to the legendary founders of Vietnam - the Hung Kings, in the northern midland province of Phu Tho province has been designated a Special National Historical Relic.

To Huy Rua, Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee, handed over the certificate of the privileged status to local authorities at a ceremony held on September 19, which also marked 55 years of the day President Ho Chi Minh visited the temples area.

Rua, who is also Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, recalled President Ho Chi Minh’s words, as saying “The Hung Kings had the merit of founding our country, you and I have to defend it together.”

“The words contain our profound gratitude to the ancestors and are a firm oath made by Uncle Ho and all of us in safeguarding and developing our beautiful country,” he said.

PV