President wraps up visit to Algeria; Party leader Manh continues Laos visit; Mourning ceremony for Polish air victims held in Hanoi; Vietnam condemns all acts of terrorism

President wraps up visit to Algeria

President Nguyen Minh Triet and his delegation left the Algerian capital city of Algiers on April 15, concluding his three-day visit, at the invitation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The Algerian President personally came to see off the Vietnamese delegation at Houari Boumedienne airport.

Earlier the same day, President Triet visited Ho Chi Minh Street, located on the largest East-West Highway in the capital city. The street has a great meaning in the history of the Algerian people. On this highway 56 years ago, six Algerian soldiers fired the first shots that sparked the armed uprising for national independence.

President Triet and Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia also attended the Vietnam-Algeria Business Forum, where they compared noted on the socio-economic development plans and orientations for each country as well as prospects for economic, trade and investment cooperation in the coming time. He suggested the governments, ministries and business communities of both sides act as vanguard forces in promoting bilateral trade, and economic and investment ties.

According to President Triet, oil and gas cooperation between Vietnam and Algeria has initial paid off, opening new opportunities for Vietnamese firms to explore and exploit oil and gas not only in Algeria but also in other African countries.

He said he believes that Vietnam and Algeria, despite their geographical distance, will remain close friends and their cooperation will be further developed to bring prosperity to both countries.

Before leaving Algiers, President Triet visited the Vietnamese Embassy and its staff, as well as representatives of the Vietnamese community.

Vietnam-Venezuela friendship highlighted at Independence Day celebration

The Vietnam-Venezuela friendship has grown steadily over the past 20 years, said Professor Vu Van Hien at a function to mark the 200th anniversary of Venezuela’s Independence Day.

The anniversary celebration was jointly held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and the Vietnam-Venezuela Friendship Association (VVFA).

Professor Hien, who is president of VVFA, said the cooperation between the two countries has climbed to a new peak since Hugo Chavez was elected president in 1999.

Many cooperation agreements have been signed, trade turnover reached US$45.6 million in 2008, double the figure for 2007, and US$36 million in the first 10 months of 2009. Many projects have been implemented in both countries. An inter-governmental committee is working on a mechanism that will facilitate cooperation, especially in finance, trade, science and technology.

In response, Venezuelan Ambassador to Vietnam Rondon Uzcategui expressed his thanks for the celebration and agreed that it reflected a deep mutual respect between the two countries.

Vietnam, Cuba strengthen cooperation in national defence

National Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh received visiting Sen. Lt. Gen. Alvaro Lopez Miera, Cuban Deputy Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, in Hanoi on April 15.

General Thanh emphasised that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always keep in mind the valuable and effective assistance from the Cuban Party, State and people to Vietnam during the past wars and the current process of national construction.

He expressed his hope that the visit would help boost the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation, as well as mutual understanding between the two armies and people of Vietnam and Cuba.

Sen. Lt. Gen. Alvaro Lopez Miera expressed his delight at Vietnam’s achievements in national development and expressed his belief that the visit will contribute to boosting bilateral relations between the two countries.

Vietnamese, Lao youths meet for friendship exchange programme

Lao and Vietnamese young people gathered in the central coastal city of Da Nang on April 14 for a friendship exchange programme.

The participants were entertained with performances by art troupes from Vietnam’s Military Zone 5 and and Laos’ Savanakhet province.

They also met with former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Laos and listened to their stories on how they fought for both countries’ independence and freedom as well as the special ties between the two nations.

On this occasion, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of Da Nang City presented 21 scholarships, each worth VND1 million, to Lao students who are studying at Universities in Da Nang.

Vietnam regards Algeria as a faithful friend

Algeria is a faithful friend of the Vietnamese people, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet at a meeting with the speaker of the Algerian Parliament, the Speaker of the Algerian Lower Chamber and the Algerian Prime Minister in Algiers on April 15.

At the meeting, Mr Triet thanked President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the Algerian people for their kind regard towards his delegation and the Vietnamese people over the past few years.

The Vietnamese people always do their best to develop ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Despite the geographical distance, both countries which have many things in common, have maintained a close relationship. Currently, both countries focus on economic development to improve people’s living standards through effective cooperation in every field, Mr Triet stressed. Consequently, apart from the oil and gas industry, Mr Triet underlined the need to promote trade and expand bilateral cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, education and construction. Through Algeria, Vietnam can achieve deeper penetration into the African market and through Vietnam, Algeria can enter the Southeast Asian market.

The Algerian leaders expressed their deep feeling about the Vietnamese people and thanked them for winning the victory at Dien Bien Phu which helped the Algerian people and other African countries gain national independence. They confirmed that Algeria always looks towards its traditional friends, including Vietnam, to learn from their experiences in agriculture and construction. Algeria is keen to sign a transport agreement with Vietnam to facilitate the exchange of goods as soon as possible and ensure the upcoming session of the inter-government committee will achieve a good result.

The same day, Speaker of the Algerian Parliament Abdelkader Bensalah hosted a banquet in honour of Mr Triet and his delegation.

Party leader Manh continues Laos visit

Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh on April 14 visited former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and former State President of Laos Khamtay Siphandone.

General Secretary Manh extended the best wishes to Khamtay Siphandone, his wife as well as the Lao people on the occasion of their traditional festival of Bunpimay.

The Party leader briefed Khamtay Siphandone on the results of his earlier talks with the Lao Party General Secretary and State President, Choummaly Sayasone.

The Party, State and people of Vietnam will stand side by side with Lao counterparts to further develop their traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, he told his host.

Khamtay Siphandone said he was delighted to meet General Secretary Manh and accompanying officials, emphasising the special friendship between the two countries during their struggles for national independence.

Earlier, General Secretary Manh visited and delivered a speech at the Lao National University in the capital city of Vientiane.

The Party chief and his high-ranking delegation then left Vientiane for the northern province of Luong Prabang, as part of their three-day visit to the country through April 15.

Secretary of the Luong Prabang provincial Party Committee and Governor Bunhuong Duongphachan welcomed General Secretary Manh, saying that Luong Prabang people always consider the Vietnamese people to be close friends.

The general secretary took this occasion to present VND50 billion to help Luong Prabang province build a secondary school. He said the Vietnamese Party, State and people have strong confidence in Laos’ younger generations of Laos who upholding their elders’ tradition of fostering and developing the Vietnam-Laos special friendship.

On the evening of April 14, General Secretary Manh joined local residents in celebrating their traditional New Year.

With a total of 129 tourist sites, Luong Prabang attracts around 500,000 foreign visitors each year. The province has established cooperative ties with many cities and provinces of Vietnam, including Hanoi, Thua Thien-Hue city, Dien Bien, Son La, Ho Chi Minh City and Nghe An.

Vietnam treasures partnership with Belgium

Vietnam always attaches importance to its partnership with Belgium, said National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong at a meeting with the delegation from the House of Representatives of Belgium led by President Patrick Dawael in Hanoi on April 14.

Mr Trong hailed fine developments in the multi-faceted relationship between the two countries, especially in politics, trade, culture and education.

He expressed thanks to the Belgian Government and people for their effective assistance to Vietnam, particularly when they selected Vietnam as the only country in Asia to be provided with its official development assistance (ODA).

Belgium has actively supported Vietnam at many multilateral forums, including its protest against anti-dumping tax on Vietnam’s leather-capped shoes into the EU market, the NA Chairman added.

He suggested the two sides increase the exchange of parliamentary delegations with the aim of strengthening mutual understanding and laying a foundation for the development of the mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, President Patrick Dawael emphasised the need to promote exchanges between the two legislative bodies and congratulated Vietnam on its impressive achievements during the renewal and integration process.

As an active advocator for Belgian investment in Vietnam, he said he was pleased with effective operations of Belgian businesses in the country.

In principle, Belgium will continue providing ODA for Vietnam as the country has met its priority criteria, he said, adding that the two sides have well cooperated in education and training and development research.

Both host and guest agreed that the two countries in general and the two parliaments in particular will coordinate more closely at multilateral forums, especially when Vietnam undertakes the ASEAN and AIPA Chair in 2010 and Belgium will be the EU Chair in the last six months of this year.
The two sides will strengthen cooperation and mutual assistance in order to boost the Vietnam-EU, Belgium-ASEAN and ASEAN-EU cooperation for peace, friendship, cooperation and development in each region and the world at large.

The Vietnamese and Belgian parliamentarians also exchanged views on issues of common concern such as the role and participation of Vietnamese women in politics, poverty reduction, reduction of death penalties as well as the promotion of the French language and culture.

Mourning ceremony for Polish air victims held in Hanoi

A mourning ceremony for Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife and all people killed in a plane crash in Russia, was held at the Saint Joseph Cathedral in Hanoi on April 15.

A mourning book for those victims opened at the Polish Embassy in Hanoi from April 12-16.

On April 12, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, on behalf of the Vietnamese State and Government, signed the mourning book at the Polish Embassy and expressed condolences over the tragedy.

A total of 97 people died in the crash of the TU-154 plane carrying the Polish President, his wife and his entourage in the Smolensk region in Russia on April 10.

Vietnam condemns all acts of terrorism

Vietnam condemns terrorist activity in any form and strongly supports the international community’s efforts to combat terrorism based on international law and the UN Charter, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Mr Dung delivered this message at the ongoing Nuclear Security Summit in the US, which brought together the heads of 47 nations, the UN, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Union (EU).

PM Dung said that Vietnamese law sets out regulations on ensuring nuclear safety and security and prohibits the illegal trading of materials that are used to produce weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.

Vietnam, he said, has already drawn up an action plan and has taken a host of measures to accomplish these targets, adding that Vietnam actively joins international conventions and participates in counter-terrorism activities both bilaterally and multilaterally.

To enhance the efficiency of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the Vietnamese leader urged the international community to lend more support to nations that need to deploy measures to combat terrorism, ensure nuclear security and implement the previously agreed international treaties.

Vietnam makes safety top priority in nuclear energy

Vietnam gives top priority to safety and security in developing the application of nuclear energy. Consequently, Vietnam has actively built and completed a legal basis and a management agency system on control, safety and security in using nuclear materials and radioactive substances, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said.

In his speech, the PM stressed Vietnam’s strong support and contributions to international efforts on disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, combating terrorism in all forms and promoting the use of safe, secure nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and for the sake of nations.

Vietnam has welcomed the recent signing of the strategic arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States, PM Dung said, describing the event as an important step in the common effort towards a nuclear weapon-free world.

He noted that Vietnam has joined a number of important international treaties related to the issue, and affirmed the Vietnamese Government’s decision to participate in the nuclear safety treaty and back the global initiative against nuclear terrorism.

As ASEAN Chair in 2010, Vietnam has actively made contributions to building a prosperous and nuclear weapon-free South East Asian region, the PM said.

The country’s awareness and responsibility are also shown in its involvement in a series of international programmes and initiatives. These include cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the US and Russia on converting highly-enriched uranium into usable nuclear fuel at a research reactor, and cooperation with the European Union, Japan and the US in the use of radiation detecting equipment at seaports in Vietnam.

As a nation accelerating its application of nuclear energy and beginning a nuclear electricity programme, Vietnam is willing to expand international cooperation in the area, the PM said, adding that the country signed bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements with Russia, China, France, India, the Republic of Korea, and Argentina in line with a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the US.

Mr Dung affirmed Vietnam’s support for orientations and overall measures in the summit’s draft documents, including enhancement of the effectiveness of available treaties, mechanisms, international organisations, the responsibilities of nations, and the involvement of nuclear industries in each country.

The PM also stressed the need to respond to the concerns of developing countries regarding the safe, secure and effective application of nuclear energy by creating necessary conditions for the IAEA’s operations.

Mr Dung took this opportunity to thank the international community and express the wish to continue cooperating with it in the application of nuclear energy for the benefit of peace and development.

PV