Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday,
March 16,
instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan to work with relevant agencies from
the two countries to evacuate Vietnamese citizens from areas of danger following
the recent earthquake and tsunami.

The
Prime Minister was speaking after hearing a report on the post quake and tsunami
situation from leaders of the Foreign Ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy in
Japan.

The
foreign ministry was told to monitor the situation carefully and be ready to
take necessary measures within their jurisdiction if needed.

The
Ministry of Information and Telecommunications was asked to co-ordinate with the
Ministry of Science and Technology and the Central Commission for Information
Dissemination and Education to guide press coverage relating to the aftermath of
the disaster in Japan.

It was
also instructed to make internet access readily available for anyone in need of
regular updates regarding the situation.

The Viet
Nam Atomic Energy Commission was asked to provide accurate and objective
information relating to nuclear safety and problems in Japan to the press.

The PM
asked the health ministry to be ready to send doctors and nurses to join rescue
teams in Japan, and to prepare plans to test Vietnamese citizens returning from
the country for unusual levels of radiation while working with relevant
ministries and agencies on contingency plans, should radioactive dust start to
spread across Viet Nam.

PM Dung
yesterday telephoned the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan to give his regards to
Vietnamese citizens and instruct representative agencies to spare no efforts in
their work to support Japan while protecting Vietnamese citizens.

The
foreign ministry yesterday issued an official announcement about the Vietnamese
Government’s close watch over the situation and the efforts of the Japanese
Government in dealing with the Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant.

Scientists and relevant agencies from Viet Nam were working closely with the
International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency
of Japan to get updated information, said the ministry’s spokesperson Nguyen
Phuong Nga.

The
Government would take appropriate measures in a timely manner to ensure the
safety of Vietnamese citizens in Japan, she said.

Vietnamese representative agencies in Japan had received effective assistance
from authorised agencies and the people of Japan in the work to protect
Vietnamese citizens.

The
Vietnamese Embassy in Tokyo on Tuesday sent rescue teams and three buses to
regions affected by the earthquake and tsunami to evacuate Vietnamese citizens
to Tokyo. As of yesterday, 84 Vietnamese students and trainees had been
evacuated to Tokyo and provided with cooking and other necessities.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News