State
creates favourable conditions for internet

The
internet was developing strongly in Viet Nam because of favourable conditions
created by the Government, Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga said yesterday, Feb 17.

Nga was
answering reporters’ questions on Viet Nam’s response to US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton’s speech at the George Washington University on Tuesday on
internet freedom, mentioning Viet Nam, at the ministry’s regular meeting in Ha
Noi yesterday.

By
December 2010, the number of internet users in Viet Nam had reached nearly 26.8
million, accounting for 31.11 per cent of the country’s population. More than
1.5 million had their own blogs.

However,
like other countries, all information on the internet must abide by the law so
that it did not affect the nation’s customs, social morality, public order or
national security, said the spokesperson.

“In Viet
Nam, the freedom and democratic rights of all people, including freedom of
information and speech, are clearly written in the constitution and law, and are
assured to be carried out in reality,” Nga affirmed.

In Viet
Nam, all citizens are protected by the law, but at the same time they must
respect the law, she said, adding that any person who violated internet
regulations would be treated justly.

“We
believe that in relations between countries, every difference should be
exchanged in a constructive spirit of mutual respect and understanding, with no
intervention in each other’s internal affairs,” she said.

Vietnam opposes China’s military exercise in Hoang
Sa area

A Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has raised
protest against the recent defence exercise conducted by China’s South Sea Fleet
in Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago area.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga.

“The military exercise of the Chinese Navy’s
South Sea Fleet in Hoang Sa area seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over
the archipelago ran counter to the ASEAN-China Declaration of the Conduct of
Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and negatively affected peace and stability in the
region,” said spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga.

Nga made this statement while answering
reporters’ queries about Vietnam’s reaction to the February 3 defence exercise
of China’s South Sea Fleet as reported by China Radio International two days
later.

“Vietnam requests China to put an end to all
actions that violate Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, not to
let similar affairs occur in the future and join concerned parties in strictly
implementing DOC, to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea,” the
spokeswoman stressed.

Vietnam
follows developments in Sudan and Egypt

Vietnam respects the Sudanese people’s decision on
the creation of an independent south and desires to foster friendship and
cooperation with both regions of Sudan.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nguyen
Phuong Nga affirmed the ministry’s stance at its regular meeting in Hanoi on
February 17, while answering reporters’ questions on Vietnam’s response to the
results of the referendum in Sudan from January 9-15 on the independence of the
country’s southern region.

On Vietnam’s response to recent
developments in Egypt, Nga said that Vietnam closely follows the situation in
Egypt and hopes that with coordinated efforts by the Egyptian authorities and
people, the country would stabilise and continue to develop.

“We believe that the friendship and
cooperation between Vietnam and Egypt will continue to grow and flourish in the
future,” she said.

Ethnic
minority people return from Cambodia

Ten ethnic minority people from the Central Highland
region of Vietnam were repatriated from Cambodia through the Bavet-Moc Bai
border gate on February 16 with UNHCR representatives as witnesses.

The handover of the ethnic minority
people was conducted in line with the tripartite agreement previously signed by
Vietnam, Cambodia and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as
laws of both Vietnam and Cambodia.

These people were then received and
assisted by authorities of the Central Highland province of Gia Lai to
reintegrate into the community and stabilise their lives.

The same day, Cambodia officially
closed its temporary camp in Phnom Penh on schedule with the previous Cambodian
government announcement on December 7, 2010.

The decision was in accordance with
the current situation and contributed to the enhancement of cooperation in the
future.

VNN/VOV/VNS