German journalist with sentiments towards VN

“Vietnam is always in my heart,” German journalist Hellmut Kapfenberger has told Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Do Hoa Binh before leaving for a working visit to Vietnam.

At a reception held in Berlin on April 8, Vietnamese Ambassador Binh highlighted Kapfenberger’s works on Uncle Ho and Vietnam which, he said, have helped German people better understand about Vietnam and promoted the two peoples’ relationship.

The Vietnamese diplomat also wished Kapfenberger’s visit to Vietnam a success.

Kapfenberger, who will visit Vietnam again at the invitation of the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications, said that he would meet historical figures and visit historical relics to collect documents to finalise his works on the Ho Chi Minh trail and the Vietnamese people’s glorious struggle against the US .

He also revealed that his two books on Vietnam will make their debut soon in Germany .

Journalist Hellmut Kapfenberger lived and worked in Vietnam for several years as a correspondent of the News Agency of the German Democratic Republic (AND) and the New German newspaper in the 1970s-1980s.

His book “Ho Chi Minh – a chronicle” published by Neues Leben Publishing House in Germany and his articles on late President Ho Chi Minh on the New German newspaper have received warm welcome from German readers.

His book was translated into Vietnamese on the occasion of late President Ho Chi Minh’s 120th birthday in 2010.

Vietnamese community in Ivory Coast still safe

Vietnamese community in Ivory Coast still safe The Vietnamese community in Ivory Coast is still safe and has prepared enough cooking for their lives.

The information was released by the Vietnamese Embassy in Morocco , which is also in charge of Ivory Coast , cited Vietnamese people in the civil war-hit country’s Abidjan city as its sources of information.

In the face of the complicated developments of the civil war in Ivory Coast , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has directed the embassy to urgently study the situation of the Vietnamese community in this country.

“No Vietnamese has been reported dead or injured to date,” the embassy said, adding that around 60 Vietnamese people and several French of Vietnamese origin are living and working in Ivory Coast, all in Abidjan city.

To support and ensure safety for the Vietnamese community in Ivory Coast , the Vietnamese Embassy has contacted the French Embassy in Abidjan and local authorised agencies asking for support for Vietnamese citizens.

On April 8, representatives of the MoFA’s Department of Consul met with representatives of the French Embassy in Vietnam , asking France to protect and evacuate Vietnamese citizens in Ivory Coast to safe areas and inform the Vietnamese side so that it will take measures to take them home or provide necessary assistance.

Agencies, organisations and individuals that have staff and relatives living in Ivory Coast can contact the Department of Consul via www.lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn or telephone number 04.38430470 or fax number 04.38236928 for assistance.

MARD, USAID sign MOI to help arrest spread of disease

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed an MOI in Hanoi on April 7.

The memorandum of intent (MOI) will promote early detection and response of dangerous pathogens in animals before they can become a significant threat to human life.

Following six years of Vietnam-U.S. cooperation to combat avian influenza, USAID’s new Emerging Pandemic Threat (EPT) program will build on the Government of Vietnam’s successes in disease surveillance, training and outbreak response in geographic areas where these threats are most likely to emerge.

Nearly 75 percent of all new, emerging or recurring diseases affecting humans in recent decades have originated from animals, USAID announced. They specifically named HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H5N1 avian influenza and the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

The speed with which these diseases can surface and spread presents a serious public health threat as well as economic and developmental concerns.

The agreement will serve as a foundation for MARD to join in the USAID funded Emerging Pandemic Threat (EPT) program, said MARD Deputy Minister Diep Kinh Tan.

The EPT program is one of several U.S. activities in support of Vietnam’s disease control efforts. Since 2005, the U.S. Government has provided more than $63 million to assist Vietnam in preparing for, preventing and responding to avian and pandemic influenza.

Vietnam, Monaco look to expand cooperation

Vietnam and the Principality of Monaco should boost cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, finance and banking, on the back of their growing economic ties, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan said.

She made the remarks during her reception for the Chairman of the MimRan Group of Monaco, Nachson MimRan, in Hanoi on April 9, citing the two-way trade value of 1 billion USD between Vietnam and Monaco.

The Vietnamese leader affirmed that Vietnam’s investment environment is favourable with stable security and expressed her hope to see the MimRan Group to early formulate an investment plan in Vietnam so as to help facilitate both countries’ exports.

The MimRan Group Executive said as engaged in a wide range of business lines, he is eager for investing in Vietnam, especially in agriculture, real estate and finance.

More VN students likely at US universities

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has said he expects more Vietnamese students to enrol in US universities in the future.

The Government official, who is himself a US alumnus, was speaking at a meeting with US Commerce Undersecretary Francisco Sanchez in Ha Noi on Friday.

More than 13,000 Vietnamese students studied at US universities during the last academic year. Vietnamese students constitute the ninth biggest foreign student community and the biggest South East Asian presence in the US.

Appreciating the US educational system, he said he hoped the US Government would open a university in Viet Nam soon.

A total of 23 Vietnamese universities are affiliated to US universities and colleges. Meanwhile, many US economists are working now in HCM City.

“There is firm ground for both countries to enhance bilateral co-operation in education in the future,” said Nhan.

Sanchez last week led a delegation of 56 US universities and community colleges that offer undergraduate and English language programmes on a working visit to Viet Nam.

US soldiers’ remains repatriated

The remains believed to be those of Americans who died during the war were transferred to the US at a repatriation ceremony at Da Nang Airport on Saturday (April 9).

It was held by the US’ Detachment Two, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), and the Viet Nam Office for Seeking Missing Persons.

The remains include those recovered by US excavation teams in southern Viet Nam as well as by Vietnamese citizens, according to the US embassy in Ha Noi.

The remains were placed aboard a US Air Force C-130 aircraft for repatriation to the US.

US Charge d’Affaires Virginia Palmer attended the ceremony, the 118th instance of repatriation of US remains from Viet Nam.

Army Major General Stephen Tom, who is the JPAC Commander, and Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Keane, the Detachment 2 Commander, also represented the US.

NA aims for professionalism next term

Communist Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong promised voters on Saturday the National Assembly would increase its full-time deputies next term as one way to be more professional.

Despite improvements in overseeing and questioning government activities, the 12th National Assembly was still falling short of public expectations, Trong told voters in Hanoi.

The country’s top leader, however, emphasized the deputies’ firmness so far in tackling some of the most important issues of the country.

At the meeting, voters suggested to Trong measures to curb inflation, reduce environmental pollution and better use land resources.

Many also showed keen interest in the recently-discussed Law on the Capital City aimed to make Hanoi’s legal and social development more on par with that of other capitals in the world.

Viet kieu asked to uphold nation’s cultural ID, strengthen solidarity

Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong expressed his wish that the Overseas Vietnamese community would continue to uphold patriotism and strengthen solidarity while preserving and promoting national cultural identity.

At a reception for a delegation of overseas Vietnamese who returned home to attend the Hung Kings’ Temple Festival 2011 in Ha Noi, Trong said he was pleased with the Overseas Vietnamese community’s integration into their new countries and their achievements in all fields.

He asked the Overseas Vietnamese to build strong, successful and integrated communities to boost their positions in their host countries, and together with compatriots in the homeland, successfully implement national renewal and construction.

The Party chief affirmed the Party and State’s consistent policy of considering the Overseas Vietnamese community an inseparable part and resource of the nation.

For their part, the overseas delegates thanked the Party and State for their consideration and spoke highly of their aspirations and sentiments towards the homeland.