VN,
Japan hold defence talks

Viet Nam
and Japan agreed to increase co-operation at regional and international forums
amid rapid regional and international changes at their first strategic
partnership meeting in Ha Noi yesterday, Dec 9.

The two
sides discussed security, defence and foreign policies of each country as well
as regional and international issues of common concern.

Photo: Vietnam+

The
Vietnamese delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son and the
Japanese delegation, by Deputy Foreign Minister Koro Bessho.

On the
same day, Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem received
Koro, praising the holding of the meeting, which he said was a strong reflection
of the two countries’ mutual trust.

Results
of the dialogue would enhance relations in all fields as well as maintain peace,
stability, co-operation and development in the region and the world, he said.

Khiem
applauded the development of bilaterial relations over the past years,
particularly the establishment of a new framework for relations through the Viet
Nam-Japan Joint Statement Toward a Strategic Partnership for Peace and
Prosperity in Asia created during Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s official
visit to Viet Nam in October.

Koro
affirmed that Japan wished to promote its strategic partnership with Viet Nam.

He said
Japan considered Viet Nam its top partner in its official development assistance
policy and was encouraging Japanese businesses to boost investment in the
country.

Koro
praised achievements of the first strategic partnership dialogue and expressed
his admiration for Viet Nam’s economic progress as well as the successful
organisation of the recent ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Ha Noi.

Viet
Nam, N Korea increase bilateral co-operation

Senior
Party officials of Viet Nam and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)
held talks yesterday to discuss measures to boost traditional friendship and
co-operation between the two Parties and countries.

Kim Yong
Il, alternative Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and
head of the External Relations Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party, said he
was pleased with further development of the traditional friendship between the
two parties, countries and peoples.

The
Party and State of the DPRK attached importance to further developing
traditional friendship with Viet Nam, he affirmed.

Hoang
Binh Quan, member of the CPV Central Committee and head of its Commission for
External Relations, congratulated the Korean Workers’ Party on its 65th founding
anniversary and successful organisation of the Party national Conference.

He spoke
highly of activities the two sides jointly held during the year to mark the 60th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Quan reaffirmed Viet Nam’s
stance clearly stated in the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s
statement on November 23 and the Vietnamese Foreign Minister’s statement on
November 26 as the ASEAN Chair. He said he wished concerned parties would
practise restraint, conduct dialogue and promote long-lasting peace and
stability on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the region.

ASEAN, EU strengthen bilateral ties

Strengthening Viet Nam-EU and ASEAN-EU relations was one of the main topics
discussed during an international conference that opened in Ha Noi yesterday.

The
third conference on ASEAN-EU relations has drawn nearly 70 delegates from EU
member countries and ASEAN nations. Speaking at the conference, Bertrand de
Crombrugghe, ASEM Senior Official for Belgium, said the EU would assist ASEAN in
building institutions and policies and create specific programmes to foster
bilateral relations, especially in migration management, intellectual property,
transport, human trafficking, climate change and energy.

However,
Bertrand said the ASEAN-EU relationship is yet to match the two regions’
potential, particularly in trade, as the EU has not reached an agreement on the
free trade area (FTA) with ASEAN. The EU has only signed the Partnership and
Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with several Southeast Asian nations, including Viet
Nam and Indonesia.

Regarding the Viet Nam-EU relationship, Nguyen Thiep, from the European
Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Viet Nam and the EU
have obtained significant achievements in their co-operation since diplomatic
ties were established 20 years ago.

The EU
is now one of Viet Nam’s largest donors, investors and trade partners. The two
sides concluded their negotiations on the PCA in October this year and are
preparing for their discussions on the FTA.

Luxembourg continues to back Vietnamese relations with EU

Luxembourg
has always supported Viet Nam’s relations with the European Union (EU), said
outgoing Ambassador of Luxembourg Marc Ungeheuer.

At a
reception held by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Ha Noi yesterday, the
diplomat said over the past eight years working in Viet Nam, he witnessed many
development steps in the bilateral co-operation between the two countries,
adding that Luxembourg had gone from a donor to a partner of Viet Nam.

Viet Nam
had made encouraging progress over the past years, particularly emerging as a
mid-income country and the co-operation between the two countries had since
taken new development steps in both finance and aviation.

Ungeheuer said the Grand Duke of Luxembourg Head of State of Luxembourg- was
scheduled to make an official visit to Viet Nam in the coming time.

Dung
stressed that the Government of Viet Nam was delighted at the continuous
development of relations between the two countries in many fields, including
politics, commerce, investment, education and training and ODA capital support.

He
applauded Luxembourg for supporting Viet Nam as a market-oriented economy and in
its negotiations with the EU on the free trade agreement.

The
Government leader also thanked Luxembourg for supporting Viet Nam in eliminating
the anti-dumping duties on leather-capped shoes imposed by the EU.

Praising
the upcoming visit to Viet Nam by the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, the PM said the
visit would strengthen relations and hoped that agreements made would help
develop co-operation.

President wants more links with Mongolia

Viet Nam
and Mongolia share many similarities, and should do more to boost co-operation
and support each other in the interests of mutual development, said President
Nguyen Minh Triet.

Triet
made the statement yes-terday while receiving Mongolian Defence Minis-ter
Luvsanvandan Bold, who is on a working visit to Viet Nam at the invitation of
Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh.

The
visit would help enhance the friendship between the two nations as well as
strengthening Viet Nam-Mongolia defence co-operation, he said.

The
President voiced support and applauded the five co-operation agreements that had
been signed between the two defence ministries and said the two sides should
expand co-operation.

Bold
expressed his honour to be the first Mongolian defence minister to pay a working
visit to Viet Nam and expressed his belief that the relations between the two
ministries would further develop.

He
stressed that Mongolia wished to continue working closely with Viet Nam in
regional and international forums.

On the
same day, the President received Ambassadors of the Republic of Uzbekistan,
Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Republic of Slovenia, Republic of Macedonia,
Republic of Iceland, Republic of Peru and Republic of Tunisia on the
presentation of their credentials.

The
President and his guests discussed bilateral relations and the potential to
boost comprehensive co-operation, particularly in economics, commerce and
investment.

Triet
wished the diplomats well, and said he hoped they would be successful in their
duties, while affirming that Vietnamese agencies would create the most
favourable conditions for them to fulfil their tasks, contributing to developing
the relations between Viet Nam and their respective countries.

He
suggested the ambassadors boost co-operation with Vietnamese agencies to exploit
the potential and strength of each country through exchanges of delegations and
sharing of development experience.

The
President and his guests discussed bilateral relations and future potential to
boost comprehensive co-operation, particularly in economics, commerce and
investment.

The
ambassadors affirmed that they would try their best to fulfil their tasks,
contributing to enhancing the friendship and co-operation between their
countries and Viet Nam.

Laos National Archive Centre inaugurated

Laos National Archive Centre, a gift from the
Vietnamese Government, was inaugurated on December 9 in the capital Vientiane.

The Laotian Deputy Prime Minister
Somsavath Lengsavad, Vietnam’s Minister of Home Affairs Tran Van Tuan, the
Vietnamese ambassador to Laos Ta Minh Chau, and the Head of Vietnam State
Records Management and Archives Department Vu Thi Minh Huong attended the
ceremony.

The centre was built with
non-refundable aid from Vietnam to Laos for the 2007-2010 period and is located
in the area of the Laotian PM’s Palace.

Started last December, it will
include an archive, an administration area and other associated facilities.

It will also be a cultural and
historical building for Lao and signifies the special friendship between the two
countries.

President Triet receives incoming ambassadors

State President Nguyen Minh Triet discussed measures
to boost bilateral ties, especially in economics, trade and investment.

On December 9 Mr Triet met with the
new ambassadors who presented their credentials to him, including Uzbekistani
Ambassador Shavkat Jamalov, the Mauritanian Ambassador Bal Mohamed El Habib,
Slovakian Ambassador Marija Adanja, Macedonian Ambassador Oliver Shambevski,
Iceland’s Ambassador Kristin Arnadottir, Peru’s Ambassador Jorge Castaneda
Mendez and the Tunisian Ambassador Mohammed Sahbi Basky.

He welcomed the new ambassadors and
emphasised that Vietnam wants to strengthen and expand ties with these
countries. He urged them to cooperate with Vietnamese agencies to take advantage
of each country’s potential by exchanging visits and experiences. He confirmed
that Vietnam’s State agencies will create the best possible conditions for the
ambassadors to fulfill their tasks, which will contribute to developing
bilateral ties.

The ambassadors said that they will
try their best to fulfill their tasks, and strengthen ties of friendship and
cooperation with Vietnam.

2011
Anti-Corruption Initiative Programme launched

The Government Inspectorate and the World Bank (WB)
on December 9 officially launched the 2011 Vietnam Anti-Corruption Initiative
Programme (VACI 2011).

Under the theme “Strengthening
public integrity and laws implementation for effective anti-corruption”, the
programme includes a two-round contest for ideas about improving administrative
services, enhancing public uprightness, increasing transparency and the right to
be informed, and raising the effectiveness of law implementation; and a
knowledge exchange forum.

VACI 2011 is aimed at raising public
awareness of anti-corruption with the participation of state agencies,
socio-political organizations, and Vietnam’s local legal organizations
recognized by the state.

Speaking at the launching, Vice
Chief Government Inspector Tran Duc Luong emphasized that enhancing public
uprightness with a focus on increasing transparency, responsibility, and
morality is one of the key measures to combat corruption.

As Vietnam is promoting the building
of a socialist law-governed State, it is essential to improve the effectiveness
of law implementation, Luong said.

Contest entries should be sent to
the International Cooperation Department of the Government Inspectorate by May
31, 2011.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to
take place in August, 2011.

VNN/VOV/VNS