VN,
Indonesia celebrate 55 years of relations

Viet Nam
and Indonesia have consolidated and developed their multifaceted relationship
since the establishment of diplomatic ties at the consular level in 1955.

This was
said by the deputy chairman of the Viet Nam-Indonesia Friendship Association,
Tran Chien Thang, at a ceremony in Ha Noi yesterday, Jan 12, to mark the 55th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on December 30, 1955.

Thang
said two milestones of the relations were the official visit of President Ho Chi
Minh to Indonesia in 1959 and that of President Sukarno to Viet Nam in the same
year. Since then, high-ranking leaders of both sides have regularly visited each
other and the agreements that came out of such visits laid the foundation for
co-operation between the two countries.

The
annual two-way trade turnover topped US$2.5 billion in 2008. As of October 2009,
22 projects by Indonesian investors totalled $198 million, ranking 30 out of 89
countries and territories investing in Viet Nam.

Indonesian Ambassador Pitono Purnomo recalled the historic moment 55 years ago
when Indonesia was fourth in the world and first in Southeast Asia to set up
diplomatic ties with Viet Nam because of the profound and lasting friendship
between the countries’ Presidents and their historic similarities.

Also
yesterday, Viet Nam officially handed over its chairmanship of the Committee of
Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) to Indonesia, who will chair the
regional group in 2011.

Vietnam officially hands over CPR Chairmanship to
Indonesia

At a ceremony held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Jan.
12, Vietnam officially handed over its chairmanship of the Committee of
Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) to Indonesia, which will chair the
regional grouping in 2011.

Deputy Permanent Vietnamese Representative to ASEAN
Nguyen Duc Thang handed over the CPR symbol to Indonesia’s Permanent
Representative, Ambassador I Gede Ngurah Swajaya.
At the ceremony, the ASEAN Secretary General and the Indonesian Foreign Minister
pressed the button to launch the CPR portal 2011.
ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan stressed the achievements made by the
group in 2010 under Vietnam’s chairmanship and praised Indonesia for its
preparations and determination as ASEAN Chair 2011, which he said is shown in
its slogan “ASEAN Community in Global Community of Nations”.
Surin Pitsuwan also spoke highly of the Indonesian leadership as ASEAN Chair
2011 to further ensure ASEAN’s central role in the evolving regional
architecture, and impose ASEAN’s position not only in the region but also in the
world by practically contributing to solving common concerns in the world.

Palestinian calls CPV congress a turning point

Palestinian Ambassador
to Vietnam Saadi Salama has described the 11th National Congress of the
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) as a primary turning point in its economic
cause and external relations.
He said the event would play a primary role at a point when Vietnam is taking
great efforts for national construction and development as delegates are set to
deliberate new planning policies to build a prosperous and mighty Vietnam.
The Palestinian ambassador made these remarks at a media interview on the
sideline of a meeting held in Hanoi on January 11 to mark the 45th anniversary
of the Organisation of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa and Latin
America .
Salama also praised achievements recorded by Vietnam during its renewal process
from 1986.
“The CPV with an open-door trend and a motto, ‘To be friends with all nations in
the world’ will generate more opportunities for Vietnam ,” said the Palestinian
diplomat.
He expressed wishes for stronger relations with Vietnam , which he hailed as a
close friend of Palestine.
The Palestinian ambassador won the special prize at the international contest
about Thang Long-Hanoi in October, 2010. The contest was organised by the Hanoi
Union of Friendship Organisations.

Long
An opens to Cambodian trade

An
international border crossing that links the Mekong Delta province of Long An
and Cambodia’s Svay Rieng Province officially opened its gates to trade
yesterday, Jan 12, in Binh Hiep Commune, Moc Hoa District.

The
crossing has been upgraded following decisions by the Vietnamese and Cambodian
governments to allow trade as well as civilian traffic to pass through, and
becomes the 20th official overland international border gate in Viet Nam.

The
Vietnamese side border gate, named Binh Hiep, was opened mainly for
cross-national border exits and entries of people and means between Viet Nam and
Cambodia. Now as the international border gate, it is open for people, means and
goods of Viet Nam, Cambodia and third countries to pass through.

Its
counterpart across the border, Prey Voa, was also upgraded to an international
border gate this time.

The
crossing links Viet Nam’s National Highway 62 with Cambodia’s Route 314 and the
Asian transnational highway, connecting countries in the Mekong Subregion with
the whole of ASEAN and Asia.

Nguyen
Xuan Hong, deputy director of Long An Province’s Department of Industry and
Trade, said the new crossing would shorten transportation routes. Previously,
products manufactured in Long An such as home appliances and fertiliser were
exported to Cambodia via roundabout routes through other provinces such as An
Giang and Tay Ninh.

Chairman
of the provincial People’s Committee Duong Quoc Xuan said in the future, the
province would continue to upgrade the 25km road from Moc Hoa District to
Cambodia’s Svay Rieng City. The province would also quickly apply incentives at
Binh Hiep border gate to create favourable conditions for enterprises from both
countries to expand co-operative relations and boost imports-exports.

He said
plans for a border gate economic zone revolving around Binh Hiep were underway.

VNN/VOV/VNS