Vietnam attaches importance to developing close ties with the Republic of Korea, Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan told outgoing RoK ambassador Ha Chan Ho on June 13.

Nhan said both countries should boost economic, trade and investment ties to raise their two-way trade to an impressive figure in the near future.

He proposed the RoK continue providing high levels of ODA for Vietnam’s infrastructure construction, climate change and environmental protection projects.

He said Vietnam and the RoK should work close together to resolve issues that arise from their employment cooperation.

The Deputy PM and the RoK ambassador exchanged views on a number of issues related to Vietnamese guest workers in the RoK, and the building of the RoK-styled science and technology research institute in Vietnam.  

Ambassador Ha Chan Ho confirmed that in whatever position he will try his utmost to foster the RoK-Vietnam relations, bringing practical benefits to the two countries.

He conveyed the RoK government’s invitation to Deputy PM Nhan to visit Seoul in the near future.

Vietnam willing to solve post-war issues with US

The government of Vietnam will continue cooperating closely with the US in the search for US personnel missing in action during the war in Vietnam.

Vietnamese ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Cuong made the statement at an annual meeting of the National League of MOW/MIA Families in Washington DC on June 13.

He also highlighted Vietnamese people’s sacrifices during the war and called on the US government and other organisations, including the League, to provide further information about Vietnamese MIA cases.

In the spirit of breaking with the part and looking to the future, Vietnam has made a gesture of goodwill towards the US, by cooperating closely with its US counterpart in addressing this humanitarian issue, Cuong stressed. As a result, as many as 693 US cases have been handled over the years.

He also acknowledged the US’s cooperation in providing information about nearly 1,000 Vietnamese soldiers missing in action, especially the handover of war martyr Dang Thuy Tram’s diary and many other valuable memorabilia of Vietnamese war martyrs.

The diplomat asked US organisations to further support Vietnam in overcoming war aftermath, especially the issues of Agent Orange/Dioxin and bomb and mine clearance.

This was the first time a Vietnamese ambassador has been invited to deliver a speech at the event.

The ambassadors of ASEAN member countries to the US also attended the meeting.

Founded in 1970, the league’s sole purpose is to obtain the release of all prisoners, the fullest possible accounting for the missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains of those who died during the Vietnam War.

Vietnam, France escalate decentralised cooperation

The ninth decentralised cooperation conference between the Vietnamese and French localities closed in the French City of Brest on June 12 with seven cooperation agreements signed.

The deals mostly cover education and training.

On top of them were memoranda of understanding on cooperation programme for 2013 and beyond between Vietnam’s Hai Duong province and Sein Saint Denis region, and on funding for the development of Vietnam’s bays between the Agency of French Development (AFD) and Brest urban community.

The event, from June 9-12, was divided into six sessions talking about cooperation in education, tertiary training, health care, culture, sustainable development of urban areas, rural planning and development, economic diplomacy and development for locals.

Delegates shared cooperation experience and pointed out existing shortcomings needed to be addressed to forge a more favourable decentralised cooperation environment for sustainable development through improving working efficiency of local authorities and strengthening the Francophone community.

The two sides agreed to prioritise links in education and training, science-technology, health care, environment and French teaching in the time to come.

On the fringe of the event, businesses from Vietnam’s provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dien Bien, Lam Dong, Kon Tum, and Dong Nai met with their partners from Bretagne, Brest, Rhone Aples and Midi Pyrene to seek cooperation chances.

An exhibition introducing Vietnamese localities also attracted visitors and the media.

As part of activities to mark the 2013 – 2014 Vietnam – France Year and the 40 th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties, the conference themed “Towards a new type of development: opportunities and responsibilities of Vietnamese and French localities, and local partners” gathered 350 delegates from 22 Vietnamese cities and provinces and 22 French localities.

The Vietnamese delegation to the event was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

The next conference will take place in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho in 2016.

Cuba Vice President to visit Vietnam

Miguel Diaz Canel, first Vice President of the Cuban Council of State will pay an official visit to Vietnam from June 19-22 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Thi Doan.

The visit aims to boost ties of solidarity, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties and States of Vietnam and Cuba.

Miguel is scheduled to hold talks with Doan to discuss measures to boost Vietnam-Cuba cooperation in various areas. They will also share experience in national construction and development.

The Cuban politician will make courtesy visits to senior Vietnamese leaders, and tour several economic, cultural and historical centres in Hanoi and HCM City.

Vietnamese, Lao General Depts of Politics boost ties

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, head of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army, hosted a reception in Hanoi on June 13 for visiting Deputy Director of the Lao army’s General Department of Politics Subun Hunnachampa.

Lich, who is also Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee, said that the Lao delegation’s visit is an important activity contributing to strengthening mutual understanding and consolidating the special friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two Parties, States, peoples and armies.

The two sides exchanged views on several issues of each country, the region and the world that influence both countries’ security, political order and social safety.

They exchanged experiences in implementing Party inspection in the army, saying that Party inspection plays an important role in building a strong army.

The Lao guest, who is also head of the party inspection commission of the Lao defence ministry, expressed his thanks to Vietnam’s General Department of Politics for its assistance in training Laos’ Party inspection officials and providing the Lao side with documents on organising Party inspection works.

Earlier, Subun Hunnachampa held talks with Lieutenant General Nguyen Cong Hoa, standing deputy head of the inspection commission of the Central Military Commission.

UNESCO chief to visit Vietnam

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova will visit Vietnam from June 19-23 to attend the 10th celebration of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage in Quang Nam province.

Irina Bokova will hold talks with Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, to review the implementation of a memorandum of understanding on Vietnam-UNESCO cooperation for 2010-2015. They will also set orientations for future cooperation between the two sides.  

The UNESCO Director General will pay courtesy visits to senior Vietnamese leaders and tour several UNESCO-recognised heritage sites in Vietnam.

Friendship Order granted to Argentina’s Ambassador

At the mandate of the State President, the Foreign Ministry on June 13 granted the Friendship Order to Argentine Ambassador to Vietnam Alberto Jaime Kaminker.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga appreciated the ambassador’s contributions during his tenure in Vietnam, saying that they have helped strengthen and develop the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Kaminker, who has just finished his tenure in Vietnam, expressed his honour at receiving the noble award from the Vietnamese State.

The diplomat stressed that he will continue actively contributing to further consolidating the relations between his country and Vietnam despite whatever position he takes next.

Over the past time, the relationship between Vietnam and Argentina has seen important progress with the exchange of many delegations, including Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the Latin American country in April 2010, and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s visit to Vietnam in January 2013.

The two countries always cooperate and support each other at multilateral forums including the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).

Last year, two-way trade exceeded 1 billion USD, a huge increase from 2009 when the figure was just 450 million USD.

Vietnam, Spain on closer shipbuilding ties

Defence ties between Vietnam and Spain have seen a new step of development in various fields, the two sides’ senior officials have said.

Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Duc and Spanish Ambassador to Vietnam Alfonso Tena shared the view at their meeting in Hanoi on June 13, which also saw the presence of representatives from Navantia, a Spanish shipbuilding company.

The Spanish diplomat kept the Deputy Defence Minister informed of the results of talks between the Navantia group and the General Department of Military Industry as well as other relevant bodies of the Vietnam Ministry of Defence.

The two talked about cooperation in developing the shipbuilding with Navantia, which is one of the well-established in this field and having many foreign partners including Vietnam.

On this occasion, Alfonso Tena invited the Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister to visit Spain and the Navantia group at a convenient time in the future.

As the 5th largest shipbuilder in Europe and the 9th largest in the world with shipyards scattering all over Spain, Navantia offers services to military and civil sector.

VNN/VOV/VNA