Government approves S&T co-operation agreement with El Salvador

The Vietnamese Government has recently approved the science and technology (S&T) co-operation agreement with the Government of Republic of El Salvador, assigning the Foreign Ministry to take on foreign affair procedures to bring the agreement into effect.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh and El Salvador’s Ambassador to India, concurrently Ambassador to Vietnam, Ruben Ignacio Zamora, signed the agreement on February 20, 2013 in Hanoi on behalf of the two Governments.

The signing aims to make contribution to expanding and enhancing relations between the two countries’ S&T communities by creating favourable conditions for S&T co-operation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, conformity to each other’s laws, and in accordance with the articles of the agreement.

Accordingly, the two sides will promote the development and implementation of programs, projects or other forms of S&T co-operation under the content of separate agreements which will be signed through diplomatic channels between member organisations of the two countries.

In order to realise the agreement’s goals, S&T co-operation activities will be conducted through exchanging delegations of experts and scientists; organising joint scientific conferences and meetings; training and improving competencies of scientists; and supporting El Salvador to construct hi-tech areas with experience learnt from those in Vietnam.

Vietnam congratulates new Japanese leaders

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on December 24 cabled a message of congratulations to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe over his re-election.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung also congratulated Nobutaka Machimura on his election as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh extended greetings to new Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

President meets overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia

President Truong Tan Sang has urged overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia to continue serving as a bridge for the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Meeting with Vietnamese Embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia on December 24 during his visit to the country, the President underscored the continued enhancement of the bilateral strategic relation for development.

He reminded Vietnamese here of further promoting solidarity and mutual support while always looking towards the homeland. They were asked to abide by the host country’s policies and law.

The State leader praised the embassy and the General Association of Vietnamese Cambodians for their attention to educating young Vietnamese generations about their homeland and the traditional relationship between the two countries.

He also urged Vietnamese investors to actively contribute to Cambodia ’s socio-economic development as well as create jobs for Vietnamese living in the country.

Training cooperation – a priority of Vietnam-Laos ties

Cooperation in training human resources is one of the priorities in the Vietnam-Laos relations, Ambassador to Vietnam Somphone Sichaleune has said.

He made the statement at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 24 to review the 2013-2014 academic performance of Lao students in Vietnam as well as discuss orientations for their next school year.

The diplomat praised the achievements made by the Laos students in study and social activities, saying that they contribute to promoting the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

According to a report delivered at the event, in the 2014-2015 school year, a total of 9,295 Lao students are pursuing their study at 150 universities and academies across Vietnam .

The Lao Embassy will work with the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to speed up the implementation of a project to improve bilateral collaboration in human resources training in the 2011-2020 period.

On the occasion, the Lao ministry and embassy presented certificates of merit to Lao students who made outstanding academic achievements during 2013-2014.

President meets Cambodia’s Great Supreme Patriarchs

Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang met with Great Supreme Patriarchs Tep Vong and Bour Kry on December 24 during his State visit to Cambodia.

He said the close cooperation between Buddhists of the two countries has contributed importantly to strengthening bilateral friendship and solidarity, expressing hopes that the Great Supreme Patriarchs, with their role and prestige, will help further the ties.

He visited the Cho Ray-Phnom Penh hospital, a joint venture facility that has been operating since January, 2014, providing free medical services for 1,500 poor patients in Phnom Penh. The hospital is working with Ho Chi Minh City’s Health Department to offer eye surgery to 100 others.

The President asked Vietnamese and Cambodian doctors and nurses to continue coordinating and sharing experience to make the hospital’s operation a success.

While there, the Vietnamese leader also held a working session of representatives from the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Cambodia (AVIC).

He received proposals relating to the completion of procedures to make the two countries’ investment protection and promotion agreement formally effective, the early signing of an agreement on double taxation avoidance, and the further amending of an agreement on goods and services exchanges at border areas.

The President congratulated the Vietnamese business community on making the country the fifth largest investor in Cambodia with 128 projects worth 3.36 billion USD.

However, potential for further collaboration remains huge, he stated, affirming that the country will adopt measures and strategies to facilitate Vietnamese stable and long-term investments in Cambodia for mutual, equal benefits.

He asked Vietnamese businesses to make further efforts to improve and expand their operations, strictly obey Cambodia’s laws and customs, and contribute more to local social welfare activities and poverty reduction.

Vietnam, Laos strengthen court cooperation

A delegation from the Vietnamese People’s Supreme Court (VPSC) led by Deputy Chief Judge Bui Ngoc Hoa visited Laos from December 23-28 to boost cooperation with their Lao counterpart.

During a meeting on December 24 between the VPSC delegation and their counterpart from the Lao People’s Supreme Court (LPSC) led by Deputy Chief Judge Khampha Sengdara, the two sides briefed each other on their countries’ respective socio-economic situations and recent activities of the court systems in both nations.

They acknowledged their effective cooperation, especially in sharing experience in trial and judiciary reform and court staff training.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the conference of courts in border provinces of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, scheduled to take place in Vientiane from December 24-28.

VNA/VNN