Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam front leaders meet in Phnom Penh

The first meeting of Presidents of the front organisations of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam was held in Phnom Penh on November 30.

They discussed and signed a memorandum of understanding on the cooperative programme between the Solidarity Front for Development of the Cambodian Motherland, the Lao Front for National Construction and the Fatherland Front of Vietnam.

The MoU stressed the three sides’ support for enhancement of information dissemination and the education people from all walks of life in each country, promoting the tradition of solidarity, friendship and cooperation among the three countries.

They agreed to expand friendly exchanges between all peoples and coordinate in implementing cooperative programmes of the three governments, especially in trade, culture, science, education, health and environmental areas.

The MoU encouraged border localities to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and provide mutual assistance.

At the meeting, six senior leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Lao Front for National Construction were conferred with Cambodia’s Friendship Order.

Vietnamese recipients were Huynh Dam, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Nguyen Trong Kim, Vice President and Secretary-General, and Nguyen Lam, Vice President.

After the meeting, the delegations of the three fronts were scheduled to visit King Norodom Sihamoni and attend celebrations for the 33rd anniversary of the Solidarity Front for Development of the Cambodian Motherland in Crocheck province, about 400 km northeast of Phnom Penh.

Leaders to visit Cambodia, Europe

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will make an official visit to Cambodia from December 6-8 as guest of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday announced that NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung will make official visits to Belgium, the European Parliament and the United Kingdom.

The visits will be made at the invitation of Speaker of Belgian House of Representatives Andre Flahaut, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and Speaker of the House of the Lords Baroness D'Souza.

Vietnamese NA delegation attends IPU hearing in New York

A Vietnamese National Assembly delegation led by Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan joined 46 Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) member delegations for hearings in New York from November 28-29.

The hearings looked at youth participation in the democratic process, including challenges and opportunities, accountability in the management of public funds and good practices. They also looked at model legislation for budget transparency, strengthening the links between national institutions and civil society toward more open societies and the role of the United Nations General Assembly in strengthening global accountability.

Addressing the hearing, Ngan emphasised the NA's important role in drafting budget estimates, making approvals, implementing decisions and maintaining balance.

She highlighted the need for supervising the NA to maintain budget effectiveness and transparency, ensuring the independence of the State Audit of Viet Nam, boosting anti-corruption activities, and encouraging people's involvement in public policies, budgeting and public investment utilisation.

She voiced her support for international efforts and the UN and IPU's guiding roles to build international standards for budget transparency and proposed that all NAs should enhance co-operation and share experiences in the field.

Viet Nam, Russia discuss diplomacy defence in Moscow

The Viet Nam-Russia diplomacy, defence and security strategy dialogue took place in Moscow on Monday and Tuesday.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, and the Russian delegation, led by First Deputy Foreign Minister A I Denisov, held in-depth discussions on international and regional issues, particularly those in the Asia-Pacific, and bilateral co-operation as well as the two countries' diplomatic relations.

They discussed ways to enhance co-ordination between the two foreign ministries at the United Nations and other international forums, especially in inter-regional connectivity mechanisms.

While in Moscow, the Vietnamese delegation was received by the First Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Bulavin V I, and met with scholars and experts from the Russian Academy of Science to discuss a number of issues of mutual concern.

The dialogue, the fourth of its kind, is held annually under a high-ranking agreement reached between the two sides during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's official visit to Russia in September, 2007.

National Assembly delegation visits Laos

Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotu received visiting National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong in Vientiane on November 30.

The Lao NA leader thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their whole-hearted assistance to the Lao people.

She described the Vietnamese legislature’s help in building the Lao NA office as an invaluable gift, manifesting the strength of the close relationship between the two countries.

NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong said she believes that the Lao people will reap more achievements during their renewal process under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.

She took this occasion to thank the Lao Party, Government and people for their support, and affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, Government and National Assembly will do their utmost to foster the special friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

The same day, Vice NA Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong laid a wreath at the monument of unknown fallen soldiers in Vientiane and visited the Vietnamese Embassy.

Latvia praises Vietnam’s renewal achievements

Latvian President Andris Berzins has applauded Vietnam’s achievements in the renewal process as well as its active role in the region and the world.

President Berzins made the comment at a reception for the Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia and Latvia, Pham Xuan Son, who presented his credentials to the Latvian leader in Riga on November 29. 

As a member of the European Union and a traditional friend of Vietnam, Latvia will continue enhancing the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Vietnam, he said. 

The President also suggested the two countries further strengthen economic cooperation on the basis of the fine political ties. 

The same day, Ambassador Son held working sessions with leaders of the Latvian National Assembly, Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Economics to discuss measures to foster bilateral relations as both countries will celebrate the 20^th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2012.

Vietnam supports independent Palestine state

A Vietnamese diplomat has said Vietnam supports an independent and prosperous State of Palestine and all peoples in the region living in peace and security.

Envoy Pham Quang Vinh, Permanent Deputy Representative of the Vietnamese Delegation to the UN, delivered the statement at the UN General Assembly’s plenary session in New York on November 30 on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian.

Vinh said all concerned parties should pursue dialogues and negotiations in line with the UN Security Council’s Resolutions and respect the Madrid Terms of Reference and the Arab peace initiative.

Vietnam highly values the efforts of four countries, the Arab League, regional countries and the UN to revive the Middle East peace process of settling the current humanitarian and political crisis, he said.

The ambassador affirmed that Vietnam will join the international community’s efforts to seek solutions to the Israel-Palestine conflict and peacefully settle the Arab-Palestine conflict.

Russian military officer visits Vietnam

Deputy Defence Minister, Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, received Senior Lieut. Gen. Shlyakhturov Alexandre Vasilevich, Deputy Chief of Russia Armed Forces’ General Staff, in Hanoi on November 30.

Lieut. Gen. Do Ba Ty, who is also Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, welcomed the results of talks between the General Department II of the Vietnam Defence Ministry and the Russia Armed Forces’ General Intelligence Department which is headed by Senior Lieut. Gen. Shlyakhturov Alexandre Vasilevich.

Lieut. Gen. Ty and Senior Lieut. Gen. Shlyakhturov Alexandre Vasilevich agreed on the need for the two intelligence agencies to exchange views on regional and international issues and increase mutual understanding and trust for the benefit of strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Vietnam expresses concern at UK embassy attacks

A Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman has condemned attacks by demonstrators on the UK Embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 29.

“We are deeply concerned about the incident,” spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said on November 30 in reply to reporters’ questions on Vietnam’s reaction to the attacks.

“We think that foreign diplomatic agencies and staff should be ensured absolute safety and the right of diplomatic immunity should be strictly respected in line with the Vienna Convention,” he said.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA