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Vietnam, Indonesia promote comprehensive cooperation
Vietnam and Indonesia will continue to accelerate
the implementation of signed agreements to enhance practical cooperation between
the two countries, especially in economics, trade and investment.
At a reception for the Speaker of
the Indonesia People’s Consultative Assembly (MDR), Taufiq Kiemas, in Hanoi on
December 20, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said the visit, which takes place on
the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties,
would help strengthen the Vietnam-Indonesia traditional friendship and
cooperation. PM Dung praised the results of talks
between Speaker Taufiq Kiemas and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phu
Trong while affirming that Vietnam appreciates the Vietnam-Indonesia Joint
Statement signed in June 2003, which presented an important landmark in making
bilateral relations more substantial and effective. He thanked Indonesia for helping
Vietnam fulfill the ASEAN Chair 2010 and congratulated Indonesia on taking the
ASEAN Chair 2011 to build a stronger ASEAN Community following the spirit of the
ASEAN Charter and to expand the partnership outside ASEAN for the sake of peace,
stability and cooperation in the region and the world. Vietnam wants to promote
cooperation with Indonesia in various fields such as economics, trade,
investment, national defense and fishery, Mr Dung emphasised. PM Dung took the occasion to ask the
Indonesian side to promptly release Vietnamese sailors, who are being held in
custody, to enable reunion with their families to welcome the upcoming,
traditional New Year Festival. Speaker Taufiq Kiemas congratulated
Vietnam on its successful assumption of ASEAN Chair for 2010 and said that his
country wants to share experience with Vietnam in 2011 the year Indonesia will
perform role as ASEAN Chair. Mr Taufiq Kiemas shared his view
with Mr Dung as saying that the current two-way trade turnover of over US$2
billion remain modest, therefore, the two sides should focus more on this field.
PM: Vietnam will use ODA effectively
 | | Photo: Vietnam+ | Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan Dung on December 20 received in Hanoi Nakamura Hirohiko, President of
the Special Committee on Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the National
Diet of Japan.
PM Dung expressed his pleasure at
the development of the strategic partnership between the two countries,
especially after the official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Naoto Kan. He
stressed that the visit brought the two countries’ ties to a new height. PM Dung expressed his wish that the
two sides would soon accelerate the implementation of the agreements reached
during PM Naoto Kan’s visit, including the bilateral economic partnership
agreement and ODA projects. He affirmed that Vietnam will
effectively use ODA to promote socio-economic development in Vietnam as well as
investment and trade between the two countries and to bring benefits to
enterprises of both countries. Nakamura Hirohiko expressed his joy
at Vietnam’s selection of Japan as the partner to build its nuclear power plant
No. 2 and said that Japan is preparing capital to assist the locality to build
social infrastructure compatible with the project. He affirmed that Japan wants to
cooperate with Vietnam in exploiting rare earth minerals, teaching Japanese
language and also recruiting nurses to work in Japan. PM Dung said that relevant
Vietnamese ministries and agencies are coordinating with the Japanese side to
implement the project to build nuclear power plant No. 2 and the project on rare
earth minerals exploitation. On the North-South railway project,
the PM said he hoped the Japanese side would help Vietnam to build
pre-feasibility projects for the Hanoi-Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City-Nha Trang
sections.
US scholar amazed at Lower House’s H.Res.20
Fredrick Brown, a scholar from the Foreign Policy Institute under Johns Hopkins
University, has affirmed that the listing of Vietnam as one of countries of
particular concern in terms of religious freedom is not useful and beneficial.
The scholar from the
Washington-based university made this statement in response to the US House of
Representatives ratifying Resolution H.Res.20 on December 17. Brown said the resolution is not a
beneficial act in the current period although there remain some discrepancies
between Vietnam and the US, and both countries are continuing their dialogues
over issues of mutual concern. The US scholar added that there are
now lobbying efforts aimed at having the US congress list Vietnam as a country
of particular concern with regard to religious freedom. He stated that he has been
personally surprised at the decision. Fresh
calls for solidarity on patriotic anniversary All
Vietnamese people have been asked to help build a prosperous and strong nation
with a democratic, fair and civilised society. The
appeal was made by a Politburo member, Truong Tan Sang, at a ceremony yesterday,
Dec 20, to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Liberation
Front of South Viet Nam. Sang
said the Vietnamese Communist Party and Government wished to pay their high
regards and appreciation to the great contributions made by the Front in
national salvation and unification. Sang
also thanked the Vietnamese Alliance of National Democratic and Peace Forces and
other peace loving forces for their contributions. “For all
Vietnamese citizens, the thousands of years of national construction and
development is an invaluable asset,” said Sang adding that, “the strength of the
Vietnamese nation lies within national solidarity and unity”. He
reiterated the Party’s strong commitment to be always at the service of the
homeland and the people. Sang
called on all Vietnamese people to put aside preconceptions and social status to
uphold the national spirit and humanitarian and lenient tradition.
President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, Huynh Dam, said the birth of the
Front on December 20, 1960, was an important event ushering a new period for the
development of the revolution in South Viet Nam.
Nguyen
Thi Binh, Former Vice State President and former Foreign Minister of the
Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam said the
National Liberation Front of South Viet Nam had successfully accomplished all
the tasks assigned by the Party and people. “We’re
proud of what we did for the nation during the anti-American war which was full
of difficulties and hardships - and also heroism,” said Binh. To mark
the occasion, the Party and Government presented the Great National Solidarity
Medal to 70 former leaders and members of the Front, the Advisory Council and
the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam, the
Alliance of National Democratic and Peace Forces for their contributions.
More fallen soldiers in Cambodia repatriated
A ceremony was
held at a cemetery in Ha Tien town, southern Kien Giang province, on Dec. 20 to
bury the remains of 109 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who had died
in Cambodia.
The remains were repatriated during the 2009-2010
dry season, raising the number of the remains found in Cambodia and reburied at
the Ha Tien cemetery for fallen soldiers to 1,464.
The repatriation and reburial of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers
have demonstrated the Party and State’s tribute to those volunteer soldiers for
sacrifices they had made to fulfil their international duties.
Vietnam-RoK cooperation sub-committee holds seventh
meeting
The seventh
meeting of the Vietnam- RoK Sub-Committee for Energy and Mineral Cooperation was
held by the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in collaboration with
the Republic Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy in Hanoi on December 20.
The Vietnam-RoK Sub-Committee for Energy and
Mineral Cooperation was set up in 2001 to share annual information about plans
and the development policies of their respective countries concerning
electricity, coal, oil and gas and minerals. Since 2003, both sides have discussed the
development of nuclear power and plans to increase the proportion of
locally-made equipment in nuclear power plants in Vietnam. At the seventh meeting, the two sides are
expected to sign memoranda of understanding for implementation. Accordingly, the
RoK’s Teakwang Group- investor in the Nam Dinh thermo-electrical power plant and
the MoIT signed documents to carry out the project. The Nam Dinh thermo-electrical power plant, with
a capacity of 2,400 Megawatts is located in Hai Hau district, Nam Dinh province.
The US$4.5 billion project is divided into two phases, each with a capacity of
1,200 Megawatts, invested in by Teakwang Group and the Hoang Anh Shipbuilding
Industry Company (Hashinco). The first generator is scheduled to be put into
operation by the end of 2016 and the plant will be transferred to Vietnam after
25 years. VNN/VOV/VNS | 
