PM
Dung oversees signing of German aid, credit accords

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung,
together with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, witnessed the signing
of aid and credit accords in Ha Noi on Saturday as part of the latter’s visit to
Viet Nam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (right) greets German Minister of Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle. (Photo: VNS)

Two out
of the three agreements relate to financial aid, provided by the German
Government, for a EUR212 million (US$310) million metro project, currently under
construction in HCM City, as well as a EUR10 million ($14.6 million) vocational
training project.

The
German Reconstruction Bank (KfW) committed to providing additional funding for
the above-mentioned metro construction in a third agreement.

The
signing took place after they met to discuss the strategic partnership and
bilateral relations between Viet Nam and Germany.

Dung
called for stronger efforts in promoting investment and two-way trade, which
recently reached an estimated $6 billion.

The PM
added that promoting co-operation in education, training, science, technology
and diplomacy was also necessary.

“Viet
Nam has always cherished its relationship with Germany, working hard on
developing bilateral ties effectively,” Dung emphasised.

He
praised the outcome of talks between the German Foreign Minister and Viet Nam’s
Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh as a springboard for reaching
an agreement on strategic partnership in October during a visit by the German
Chancellor.

Dung
called for additional official development assistance (ODA) from Germany,
expressing his gratitude for the assistance Viet Nam had already received in
project development.

For his
part, Guido Westerwelle pledged the German Government’s commitment in
co-operating with Viet Nam, especially on major projects, while making every
effort in speeding up trade and investment as a key to promoting relations.

“The
German Government has always pursued an unswerving policy in working with Viet
Nam in order to bring bilateral relations to strategic partnership level,” a top
German diplomat said, calling on Viet Nam to continue backing Germany in
international and regional forums.

Guido
Westerwelle held additional talks with Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Minh
regarding the metro project and the establishment of a Viet Nam-German
University in HCM City.

Preparations for the upcoming visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel were
included in the talks during which time the two sides agreed to boost the
exchange of high-level visits among various mechanisms for developing a solid
strategic partnership.

The
German side pledged its commitment to providing continued ODA to Viet Nam in
fields related to environmental protection, climate change, healthcare,
education, vocational training and the development of green and renewable
energy.

The
Vietnamese side called for better conditions related to the integration and
contribution of its citizens residing in Germany.

Both
host and guest reached a consensus on increasing mutual assistance at
multi-lateral and international forums, especially at the United Nations.

Viet Nam
confirmed that it would continue to assist Germany in expanding its relations
with other Southeast Asian nations, and Germany reiterated its support for Viet
Nam in establishing comprehensive relations with other members of the European
Union.

Deputy
PM boosts ties with Austria

Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on Saturday completed his
three-day visit to Austria, during which he discussed measures to boost
bilateral co-operation with Austrian leaders.

At his
talks with Austrian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Michael
Spindelegger, Khiem said he highly valued Austria’s preferential credits to Viet
Nam in poverty reduction, grassroots level healthcare, rural development and
road projects which had brought practical results, contributing to Viet Nam’s
socio-economic development.

The two
sides were pleased that before Khiem’s visit, Viet Nam’s Thua Thien-Hue city Province
and Austria’s VAMED AG signed an agreement worth US$22 million sourced from
Austria’s preferential loans for upgrading medical equipment for a tumour centre
of Hue hospital.

They
also expressed pleasure at the fast development of economic-trade co-operation
between the two countries. In 2010, bilateral trade reached $267 million,
recording an average increase of 20 per cent each year.

Austria
affirmed continued co-operation with Viet Nam in education and training,
culture, music, sports, health care, environment and clean energy.

The
European country will continue to support Viet Nam in developing ties with the
EU and hopes Viet Nam will help it expand relations with other ASEAN countries
and the Southeast Asian region.

The two
sides agreed to strengthen co-operation at international forums, especially at
the UN, ASEM and international organisations based in Vienna.

They
agreed to co-operate closely in making plans and organising activities to mark
the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2012, contributing to enhancing
friendship, multifaceted co-operation and mutual understanding between the two
peoples.

During
the visit, Khiem also met with General Director of the International Energy
Atomic Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano.

The two
sides stressed the special importance of international co-operation in
maintaining and ensuring nuclear security.

Viet Nam
affirmed its active participation in the upcoming nuclear security meeting to
draw lessons in using nuclear energy safely for peaceful purposes in the future.

The IAEA
head said the agency would continue to help Viet Nam implement technical
assistance projects relating to nuclear energy.

Man
seized for making fake seals

Police in
Ha Noi’s Hai Ba Trung District yesterday detained a 30-year-old man who had been
making fake seals and documents that were made to look like they were from state
offices.

Phan Van
Cuong, who lives in Thanh Tri District, was caught in the act of selling fake
Informatics and English university certificates to his customers in Dong Tam
Ward, Hai Ba Trung District.

Cuong
admitted that he was hired to make six fake certificates priced at VND1.9
million (US$95).

Viet
Nam, Laos Parties promise to further expand ties

The head
of the Organisation Commission of the Party Central Committee, To Huy Rua, is
leading a delegation on a working visit to Laos during June 4-8 to conduct
meetings with their counterparts from the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party
Central Committee.

Rua, who
is a member of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee,
expressed his belief that ties between Viet Nam and Laos would continue to grow.

The two
sides have agreed to continue exchanging delegations and mutual support in
information technology application and human resources training and have signed
minutes on co-operation during 2011-15.

City
marks President Ho’s historic journey

A grand
ceremony was held yesterday at the Nha Rong Wharf in HCM City to mark 100 years
since President Ho Chi Minh left Viet Nam to seek ways to liberate his country
from colonialism.

Attending the centennial celebration were Politburo member and permanent member
of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee Truong Tan Sang, former Prime
Minister Phan Van Khai, President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Huynh Dam,
Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai and HCM City People’s
Committee chairman Le Hoang Quan.

Participants also included veteran revolutionaries and heroic mothers as well as
workers,farmers, intellectuals, religious dignitaries, businessmen, 400
progressive youth representatives, local and central leaders and local
residents.

Speaking
at the meeting, HCM City Party Committee’s Secretary Le Thanh Hai said the fact
that 21-year-old Nguyen Tat Thanh (later known as Ho Chi Minh) left Sai Gon on
June 5 1911 under the name of Van Ba to seek a way to save his country “is a
great historic event of the Vietnamese nation and people”.

“President Ho Chi Minh, who was a talented leader, a great master of the
Vietnamese Revolution, a national hero and a world cultural celebrity, devoted
all his life to the national independence and freedom and happiness of the
people,” said Hai.

He said
Uncle Ho’s historic departure was an indication of the deep patriotism and the
unyielding spirit of the nation’s people aspiring to rise up to liberate the
country, win independence and freedom and escape the brutal domination of
aggressive colonialism and feudalism.

Nguyen
Tat Thanh, armed with patriotic humanism, a noble aspiration to win independence
and freedom, and a phenomenal will, crossed the high seas and four continents
and 30 countries and territories while overcoming innumerable difficulties and
challenges, Hai said.

“While
overseas, he also involved himself in the working class and actively
participated in developing the International Communist and Workers’ Movement to
seek out the truth of the era.”

Hai said
President Ho Chi Minh had creatively applied Marxism-Leninism theory in the
cause of national salvation and a national, democratic and people’s revolution
led and organised by the Party.

He said
the HCM City government and people, were proud of the starting point where Uncle
Ho departed on his mission to save the country, from a city that now bore his
name.

During
the past 80 years the city’s people have firmly followed in his footsteps and
fought doggedly to achieve enormous victories, contributing to the national
liberation revolution, he said.

Hai said
“learning and following the ethical example of President Ho Chi Minh has
therefore become a special and regular task among local people, particularly the
younger generation and key officials who lead agencies and localities.”

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News