Preparatory meeting for ASEAN People’s Forum; Political Bureau works with provincial Party Committees; VN to encourage local firms to invest in Laos; Convict transfer pact signed; ASEAN people’s forum set to take place

Preparatory meeting for ASEAN People’s Forum

More than 40 delegates from ASEAN people’s and social organisations, and non-governmental organisations, have attended the second preparatory consultative meeting for the sixth ASEAN People’s Forum (APF).

The two-day meeting heard the results of the first preparatory consultative meeting taken place on May 29-30, including measures to increase the skills of ASEAN people’s organisations in preparing and organising the forum.

The second meeting, held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on July 23-24, was designed to set up the forum’s Executive Committee, the Agenda and Documentation Sub-Committees, define each section’s working regulations and contribute opinions to the APF6 agenda content.

The meeting adopted the forum’s agenda, including six plenary sessions and 16 workshop sessions on themes of regional concern, and reached consensus on the organisational and preparatory requirements for these activities.

It also proposed that ASEAN people’s organisations actively prepare for participation in the forum and called for international and regional organisations to respect ASEAN people’s organisations’ self-determination rights in selecting their representatives to be involved in the forum’s organising committee.

The sixth APF, which is expected to draw around 500 delegates, will be held in Hanoi from Sept. 23-26 under the title “Solidarity and action for a people-oriented ASEAN”.

Political Bureau works with provincial Party Committees

Politburo members held working sessions in Hanoi this week with the Party Committees of Gia Lai, Dak Nong, Phu Yen, Quang Nam, Kon Tum and Quang Ngai provinces to examine their preparations for provincial Party congresses.

These Politburo members include permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Truong Tan Sang, Minister of Public Security Le Hong Anh, and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi.

Having heard the provincial leaders’ reports on their preparations for Party congresses, including draft political reports, operational reviews of the 2006-2010 term, personnel plans, and congress resolutions, Mr Sang approved the presented contents.

Mr Sang praised the achievements the provincial Party Committees have reaped during the 2006-2010 term, citing gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates of 13.6 percent in Gia Lai, 15.1 percent in Dak Nong, 12.3 percent in Phu Yen,12.8 percent in Quang Nam,14.5 percent in Kon Tum, and 18.5 percent in Quang Ngai.

The provinces have made progress in cultural and social affairs, improving the quality of human resources, reducing the number of poor households, mobilising investment sources, ensuring political stability and security, and promoting foreign affairs, he said.

However, the Party official pointed out shortcomings facing the provinces such as small-scale economy, poor living conditions, and low tax collection, despite their advantages in terms of location, natural resources, tourism potential and maritime economy.

Mr Sang asked the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai to pour investment into developing traffic systems, create an open investment environment, facilitate local businesses’ efforts to expand production, and expedite construction of the Pleiku, An Khe, Ayun Pa and Chu Se economic zones.

For the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong, Mr Sang recommended that it foster the development of the support industry and the forestry and mining sectors, while protecting the environment. Dak Nong should also focus on developing human resources and vocational training to meet the requirements of the new period, he said.

Working with the Phu Yen authorities, Mr Sang said Phu Yen needs to step up its application of scientific and technological advances to production and reduce its export of raw natural resources.

Phu Yen must scale up its industries, enhance its competitiveness, promote marine tourism and make the most of its coastal location in a bid to reach its socio-economic targets in the next term.

Mr Sang asked Quang Nam province to allocate more investment to reducing the number of poor households and support sustainable development in its eight mountainous districts.

He also urged Quang Nam to do an effective job of implementing Party and State policies on agriculture, farmers, and rural areas, and correct shortcomings related to planning.

While working Kon Tum province, Mr Sang emphasised the need to conserve natural resources and speed up poverty reduction. The province must uphold national solidarity, enhance the leadership and strength its Party Committees, and improve the management efficiency of administrations at all levels.

During his working session with Quang Ngai province, Mr Sang advised that the province pay closer attention to management of natural resources and the environment.

In addition to accomplishing its socio-economic growth targets, Quang Ngai needs to make greater efforts to respond to climate change, the Party official stressed.

While agreeing with most of their personnel plans, Mr Sang asked the provinces to accelerate their training of female, young, and ethnic minority officials. VOVNews/VNA

VN to encourage local firms to invest in Laos

The Vietnamese Government would continue to support the efforts of the country’s businesses to invest in Houaphan Province, Laos, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said yesterday.

The focus would be agriculture, industry, tourism, trade and education, he told his Lao counterpart Somsavat Lengsavad and Houaphan Province Governor Dr Khamphanh Viphavanh.

The deputy prime minister, who is leading a high-ranking delegation in a visit to Laos’s northern provinces, emphasised that Vietnamese investment in Houaphan Province had proved effective.

Political stability and the industriousness of the local people were its major advantages in addition to the potential of its agriculture, tourism and mineral resources, he said.

The governor thanked the Government and people of Viet Nam for their past support, especially for national defence and security, socio-economic development and education.

The province would now focus on the development of agriculture and tourism with the opening of a bus route linking provincial capital Sam Neua to Viet Nam’s central Thanh Hoa Province, he said.

The Lao deputy prime minister also thanked the Vietnamese Government for the help it has given Houaphan Province and said he expected the co-operation to continue developing and boost the special solidarity and friendship between the two countries.

The Vietnamese provinces of Son La, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, which border Houaphan Province, have all provided it financial support and Vietnamese businesses have invested in 51 projects worth more than US$16 million since 1997.

Convict transfer pact signed

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of South Korea in Viet Nam yesterday held a ceremony to exchange documents on their convict transfer agreement.

At the ceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son and South Korean Ambassador to Viet Nam Park Suk Hwan signed the minutes of the ratification of the agreement, which was inked in Seoul in May last year.

The agreement became effective yesterday. It will help strengthen co-operation between the two countries’ judicial bodies and also mark an important step in the two sides’ co-operation in crime prevention and fighting.

ASEAN people’s forum set to take place

The sixth ASEAN People’s Forum, with the theme “Solidarity and action for ASEAN”, will take place in Ha Noi from September 23-26.

The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations yesterday organised the second meeting to prepare for the forum.

The meeting was held to establish committees for the coming forum.

Participants of the meeting agreed that the forum would consist of six plenary sessions and 16 other workshop sessions on issues that raised most concerns among peoples in the region.

Police key to peace, stability in the nation’s construction

Public security forces must maintain political stability and create a peaceful environment for the country’s construction and development, the Politburo said yesterday.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and members of the Politburo yesterday had a working session with the Standing Board of the Central Police Party Committee on the drafts of documents for the coming committee’s congress.

The Politburo agreed with the report introduced by the board, valuing the achievements of the sector in the last tenure in stabilising the political situation, social order and the national defence and building.

The police had made considerable effort to implement the resolution of the 10th Party Congress and other instructions of the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Central Committee.

In terms of national security, the force had heightened its capacity to evaluate situations, particularly from a distance, and learn well the plots of hostile forces. They had also been active in consulting the Party and State on measures and policies to ensure political security and social order.

The forces had been more active in combatting crimes and social vices, discovering and preventing many important criminal offences, corruption, smuggling, drugs and organised crimes.

Regarding force building, the committee had adequately carried out training on ideology, politics and morality for its members.

The Politburo also cited some weaknesses in the force, such as limited capacity in evaluating situations in certain security fields and unstable social order in some areas. The prevention and fighting of some new kinds of crimes had not been timely, plus political and ideology training in some localities had not been proper.

Members of the Politburo basically agreed with the tasks of the Central Police Party Committee in the term 2010-15. The Politburo asked the committee to continue contributing to the maintenance of political stability and social order in the country and to combat hostile forces.

The public security sector was also told to improve force building and renew its operation mechanism.

They must properly carry out ideology and morality training and education for their members and staff to build a strong and transparent force that could fulfil its task in the new situation.

Saudi Arabian audit president called on to share experience

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday said he hoped Saudi Arabia would share its experience with the Vietnamese audit agency, especially in human resources training.

He was speaking with Osama Jafar Faquih, President of Saudi Arabia’s General Auditing Bureau, on the latter’s official visit to Viet Nam to attend the 42th meeting of Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in Ha Noi to be held next Wednesday and Thursday.

Trong said close relations in this field would contribute considerably to the bilateral ties of Viet Nam and Saudi Arabia.

For his part, Osama said he believed the recent visit of President Nguyen Minh Triet to his country was an important milestone that had opened many opportunities of trade and investment co-operation between the two countries.

On the same day, Osama met with Viet Nam’s Auditor General Vuong Dinh Hue city in an official dialogue. This was the first bilateral meeting in the 42th meeting of the Asian audit organisation.

At the meeting, the two sides briefed each other of the achievements and plans of the state audit of each country. Hue informed Osama of the State Audit Development Strategy to 2020 that had been approved by the National Assembly and was being implemented.

Osama congratulated Viet Nam on the achievements it made in the audit sector in the past 16 years.

The two sides also agreed on supporting each other in international activities within the framework of the Asian audit organisation and the Saudis affirmed support of Viet Nam in the preparation for organisation of ASOSAI II in 2015.

Visits by high ranking officials would be organised to foster the relation between the two countries in this field, especially in environment, information technology and internal audit, which are the strengths of Saudi’s General Auditing Bureau, Osama said.

”For Vietnam Sea and Island” campaign launched

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, in coordination with the Phu Yen provincial Youth Union, launched a campaign on environmental protection on July 31 in response to the Vietnam Sea and Island Week 2010.

The campaign attracted the participation of more than 500 Youth Union members who are invloved in environmental protection activities in south-central coastal provinces.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Duong Van An, Secretary of the Youth Union Central Committee, highlighted the significance of environmental protection todat and called for a joint effort from young people and the whole community to protect the environment, especially the marine environment.

He said that during the campaign, youth unions at all levels will collect rubbish, establish enviromental protection groups and disseminate information to increase public awareness of the importance of environmental protection.

There will be many activities, including a sand painting contest about the environment, a postcard-making contest on Vietnamese islands and seas, and a online contest about islands and seas.

Vietnam has a 3,260-km coastline and total territorial waters of more than one million square metres, including over 3,000 islands and a diversity of maritime resources. Seas and islands play an important role in boosting the country’s socio-economic development and ensuring national security and defence. Therefore, protecting seas and islands has become an issue need in the national development.

Vietnam, Cambodia aim to build peaceful border

Building a shared border of peace and friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia was the main topic of a conference held in the south -western province of Tay Ninh from July 30-31.

Co-organised by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee (VFFCC) and the Solidarity Front for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland (SFDCM), the conference saw the attendance of VFFCC Vice President and General Secretary Vu Trong Kim and his Cambodian counterpart Min Khin, who is also Minister of Cults and Religions.

Representatives of the Vietnamese National Border Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Border Guard High Command, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and border provinces of both nations also attended the event.

At the conference, leaders of the two countries’ Fronts reviewed the results of the implementation of a joint statement signed on April 10, 2009 between Vietnamese and Cambodian border provinces.

The two sides agreed to improve the awareness of the Vietnam-Cambodia traditional solidarity and friendship among residents living along the border and increase the dissemination of the two countries’ policies, laws, agreements, treaties and regulations on the border and the protection of national sovereignty.

Strengthening the administrations in border provinces, calling for assistance from border residents in the border demarcation and marker planting, increasing the exchange of information and visits at all levels, organising training courses and sharing operational experiences are also considered major tasks of the two Fronts in the coming time.

The two sides also agreed to take turns holding similar conferences every two year to examine the performance of the signed cooperation agreements.

Myanmar receives ASEAN Committee’s Presidency

The Vietnam Ebassy in the Republic of Korea officially held a ceremony to hand over the ASEAN Committee’s Presidency in the country to the Myanmar Ambassador on July 29.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Tran Trong Toan, Chairman of the ASEAN Committee said that for the past six months, Vietnam has been actively involved in organising and coordinating other ASEAN partners, including the Republic of Korea and the ASEAN-RoK Centre to boost trade, tourism as well as cultural exchanges.

The Vietnamese Embassy also met with the ASEAN-RoK Centre to discuss the region’s cultural diversity and potential for tourism. They also successfully held the ASEAN-RoK Contemporary Art Exhibition.

The ASEAN Committee in the Republic of Korea has launched the ASEAN Corner project, an ASEAN box on its website and has organised camping tours for schools around the country.

Ambassador Toan then presented the ASEAN flag to Myanmar’s Ambassador, Myo Lwin.

Vietnam, Ukraine hold political consultation

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong and his Ukrainian counterpart, A. Gorin, have conducted a regular political consultation in Kiev.

The deputy ministers informed each other of the situation in their respective countries and regions, and exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual concern.

They discussed a wide range of measures to recover and step up relations in politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, investment, science, technology, health care, education, culture, sports and tourism.

Both Cuong and Gorin emphasised the need to increase the exchange of visits, especially high-ranking delegations, in the future to provide an impetus for the development of the bilateral relationship.

The officials also agreed on measures to strengthen cooperation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs and promote their coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums.

Gorin applauded the contributions of overseas Vietnamese in Ukraine and promised to create more favourable conditions for them to legally live and do business in the country.

During his visit from July 26-28, Cuong also worked with the vice head of the Ukrainian government office and met overseas Vietnamese in Kharkov and Kiev.

PV