Nha Trang welcomes Maritime Safety Agencies Forum

The 13th Asia Pacific Conference Heads of Maritime Safety Agencies Forum (APHoMSA) opened in the central coastal city of Nha Trang on July 10.

The meeting, held for the first time in Vietnam by Vietnam Maritime Administration, has attracted more than 70 delegates from maritime agencies across the Asia Pacific Region as well as representatives from international maritime organizations.  

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Cong highly appreciated the cooperation between regional countries and economic sectors of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in implementing the Forum’s agreement.

He also stressed that Vietnam and other countries in the region need to cooperate more closely with each other in resolving maritime security issues, protecting the sea environment and coordinating in search and rescue work.

This year’s conference will discuss issues related to implementing the Maritime Labor convention and a range of governments’ maritime service assistance.

Delegates at the meeting will also seek initiatives for promoting maritime development and safety in line with international standards and protecting the environment.

Technical cooperation between APHoMSA and International Maritime Organizations in the future was also discussed at the forum.
The APHoMSA conference will last until July 12.

Vatican’s envoy visits Catholics in Long An

Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the non-resident representative of the Holy See to Vietnam, met and talked with more than 3,000 priests and parishioners, who represent more than 36,000 Catholics in the Mekong Delta province of Long An, during his visit to Tan An Church, in Tan An city in the morning of July 10.

Archbishop Girelli said he was delighted to be able to visit Long An, which, he said, is one of the provinces in the region to have large numbers of industrial zones and clusters.

The local community there needs to make more effort to ensure economic development and a more beautiful life, said the archbishop.

He advised people to place their trust in God, be compassionate and love others to ensure a peaceful and happy world.

Also on the occasion, Archbishop Girelli visited the My Tho Diocese in Tien Giang province and will visit the Dong Thap Diocese and a number of other dioceses in Vietnam.

VN commits to efforts towards disarmament

Vietnam has affirmed its consistent policy of strongly committing to international efforts towards disarmament and arms control, including the prevention of excessive use of conventional arms and their illegal transfers.

The affirmation was made by Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, Vietnamese permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) in a speech delivered at the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in New York on July 9.

Viet Nam therefore supports and takes part, in an active and responsible manner, in international efforts towards an international instrument regulating international transfer of arms as specified in Resolution 64/48 of the UN General Assembly, Trung said.

According to him, to ensure the success of the Conference and broad participation of states, the Conference shall be conducted in a transparent and open manner and its decisions, including the final text of ATT, must be considered and adopted by consensus.

The Conference must ensure that the ATT is balanced and non-discriminatory. ATT should uphold basic principles of international law and the UN Charter, including respect for state sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs, the senior diplomat added.

Concluding the speech, Ambassador Trung reiterated Vietnam ’s commitment to contributing actively and constructively at the Conference in striving for an international instrument to minimise consequences of illicit transfers of arms.

The UN conference on Arms Trade Treaty kicked off in New York on July 2 and are set to continue through July 27 with an aim to draft a global arms trade treaty.

Viet Nam-China friendship association welcomes new chair

The fifth national congress of the Viet Nam-China Friendship Association for the 2012-17 term was held in Ha Noi yesterday, July 10.

Attending the event were Deputy Prime Minister and president of the Viet Nam-China Bilateral Co-operation Steering Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, chairman of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Association Vu Xuan Hong, deputy head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Tran Dac Loi, and Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam Kong Xuanyou.

The plan for the new term focuses on the effectiveness of the traditional co-operation between Viet Nam and China and a developed friendship between the two peoples.

The congress elected a new executive board, chaired by Party Central Committee member Nguyen Xuan Thang, who is also president of the Viet Nam Institute for Social Sciences.

The Vietnamese Deputy PM and the Chinese Ambassador congratulated the congress on its success.

Da Nang seeks Belgian capital for environmental projects

Belgian enterprises are considering seaport, food processing, healthcare, and waste treatment projects in the central city of Da Nang, the Belgium Ambassador to Viet Nam Bruno Angelet said during a visit here yesterday, July 10.

Meanwhile, a 2.7MW solar power project, a joint venture between Belgium's Matrix and Da Nang-based Central Airport Corporation, was expected to go into operation this year, Angelet said.

Da Nang People's Committee vice chairman Vo Duy Khuong has called on Belgian businesses to invest in tourism development, hi-tech, and banking and finance.

The city has also pointed to four major projects that are short of capital, including a power plant that burns waste, water and air pollution monitoring stations, and six waste treatment stations at hospitals.

The city's major landfill – the Hoa Khanh dump – was also expected to be overloaded and in need of a toxic cleanup by 2017, said Khuong.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA