Japan
lauded for ODA funding

Party
Central Committee Secretariat standing member Truong Tan Sang highly valued the
role of the Japanese Ministry of Finance in maintaining the high levels of
official development assistance (ODA) funding to Viet Nam in recent years.

The
funds had contributed practically and effectively to Viet Nam’s economic
development and raised the living standards of Vietnamese people, Sang told
Japanese Minister of Finance Yoshihiko Noda and Japan Bank for International
Co-operation (JIBIC) president and CEO Hiroshi Watanabe yesterday during their
working visit to Viet Nam.

Sang
highlighted Viet Nam’s efforts to implement proper financial and monetary
policies to improve the quality and stability of economic growth.

He
expressed his desire to strengthen co-operation and exchange experience in
economic policies, financial management, and human resources and training
between the two ministries of finance.

He also
highly valued the contribution of JBIC in supporting the implementation of
strategic projects in Viet Nam. He also expressed his hope that JBIC would
continue supporting investment projects in the form of public-private
partnerships, under the partnership for regional peace and prosperity which has
been established between the two countries.

The
Japanese guests strongly praised the efforts of the Vietnamese Government to
curb inflation and voiced Japan’s commitment to provide ODA funding as under the
strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Japan.

Watanabe
said the co-operation would also support Japanese businesses to enlarge their
operations in Viet Nam and give financial aid to infrastructure and industrial
development projects.

Fatah-Hamas pact welcomed by VN

Viet Nam has given its
support to the reconciliation deal signed between Fatah and Hamas and reiterated
its support for a Palestinian State.

Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga made the statement yesterday while answering
reporters’ questions on Viet Nam’s response to the preliminary reconciliation
deal signed on Wednesday.

“Viet Nam supports a
peaceful settlement to the Palestine – Israel conflict according to United
Nations’ resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative towards a comprehensive, fair
and sustainable solution, ensuring the legitimate interests of the concerned
parties,” she said.

Vietnamese bank presents 1,000 TV sets to Laos

The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV)
gave 1,000 television sets to the Lao government at the Lao Prime Minister’s
office in Vientiane on May 2 to help poor local people access information.

Receiving the gifts from BIDV, Lao
Deputy PM Somsavad Lengsavath said that the TVs will help the Lao Party and
Government’s policies reach residents more quickly.

The presentation of such gifts
proves that Vietnam-Laos cooperation aims to reduce poverty among local people,
said the Deputy PM.

Tran Dac Ha, Chairman of the BIDV
Board of Directors, said that the bank is involved in both investment and social
activities to improve the lives of the poor in Laos and Cambodia.

BIDV has contributed more than
US$1.1 million since 2005 to social security programmes in Laos, according to
the BIDV official.

VNN/VOV/VNS