Bulgaria Minister to visit Vietnam

Bulgarian Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov will pay an official visit to Vietnam from October 16-19 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.

He is scheduled to meet with Deputy PM Nhan and other senior leaders, and hold working sessions with relevant Vietnamese agencies.

Both sides will discuss measures to implement the plan of action for the 2013-2015 period and new economic cooperation models between the two countries.

The visit aims to strengthen the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria, said Luong Thanh Nghi, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Delegation attends Francophone Summit

Viet Nam has always made efforts to contribute to the global French language community, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan told the closing ceremony of the 14th Francophone Summit in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday, Oct 14.

Viet Nam has supported solidarity among member countries and taken initiatives to promote it, especially in helping poor and developing countries grow their economies, stabilise their political and social situations and integrate into the world, Doan said.

She acknowledged the good results of the Francophone Community in all fields, as well as the effort to strengthen its international position by participating in resolving global issues and debates among member nations.

She expressed her hope that the community would adjust its policies to seek more resources and promote greater co-operation with international and regional partners such as the UN, EU and African Union.

Leaders of the community approved the Kinshasa Communique, resolutions against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and co-operative documents to boost the use of the French language.

Prior to the summit, Doan met with the secretary general of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF), Abdou Diouf, on Friday.

At the meeting, Doan affirmed Viet Nam's consistent policy of attaching importance to co-operation with the organisation and its members, pledging that Viet Nam would continue to actively take part in Francophone activities.

She also spoke highly of the role played by the organisation in protecting member countries' interests and dealing with global issues.

Doan said she hoped that the Community would continue to pay attention to its member states in the Asia-Pacific, including Viet Nam.

Diouf praised Viet Nam's efforts in boosting French teaching and learning in Viet Nam and the Asia-Pacific region, including in countries which were not organisaiton members.

Doan on Friday also met with the Prime Minister of the African nation of Djibouti, the foreign minister of Haiti, and Romania's secretary of state to discuss bilateral co-operation. She also witnessed the signing of a French teaching project for diplomats and civil servants between Viet Nam and the International Francophone Organisation.

This year's Francophone Summit, taking place October 12-14, brought together representatives of 56 French-speaking countries to discuss a wide range of issues around the theme Environmental and Economic Challenges in the Face of Global Governance, as well as 19 associate states and observers and honorary guests from such international organisations as the UN and African Union.

Leaders of Viet Nam, Laos prepare for landmark year

Leaders from Viet Nam and Laos gathered yesterday, Oct 14, to outline future development plans and make arrangements for the two countries' 2012 Friendship Year celebrations.

Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with his Lao counterpart Somsavad Lengsavad during his working visit to Viet Nam.

The two, who are also chairmen of the two countries' Inter-Government Sub-Committees for Co-operation, made preparations for the meeting of the Inter-Government Committee due to be held in Viet Nam later this year.

They also discussed measures to enhance the bilateral solidarity and co-operation relations, as well as the arrangements for activities marking the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2012.

Phuc used the occassion to congratulate his Lao counterpart for co-authoring a book on the Viet Nam-Laos alliance during the resistance war, asserting that the book would educate young generations on the two nations' historic bond.

Vietnam-Laos solidarity inspires literary works

The solidarity and mutual assistance between the Vietnamese and Lao armies and peoples since the birth of the Indochinese Communist Party are an endless source of inspiration and valuable materials for many literary and historical works as well as military memoirs.

The remark was made by Director and Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Army Publishing House Pham Ba Toan when he met with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad during the latter’s visit to the agency in Hanoi on October 14.

He introduced to the Lao Deputy PM of the publication of a collection of books marking the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2012, saying that these books are valuable documents for educating young generations on the traditional solidarity between the two nations.

On this occasion, Lieut. Gen. Dao Duy Minh, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics under the Defence Ministry presented the books to the visiting Lao Deputy PM.

The Lao Deputy PM reaffirmed the special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam and noted the need for military officers of the two countries to deeply understand the special meaning of the ties.

VN elected as rapporteur to UN legal committee

Pham Quang Hieu, Counsellor of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) was elected as rapporteur to the UN’ sixth (Legal) Committee at the recent 67th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

As an Asian representative, Hieu will engage in dealing with legal issues like collecting and making reports, as well as submitting draft Resolutions to the UN General Assembly for approval.

It is expected to help Vietnam take part in international activities at the UN forums and the sixth Committee in particular in a more active and effective manner.

Panama strengthens ties with Vietnam

Panama always treasures the friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, considering the country as one of its trusted friends and partners.

Panama President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal made the statement while receiving Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Anh Duy in Panama City recently.

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s renewal achievements and said there are still many rooms for the two countries to further strengthen their cooperation, serving each other’s development.

Ambassador Duy conveyed Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang’s regards to the host, saying that he will spare no effort to contribute to boosting the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

CPV delegation attends Bangladeshi Communist Party’s Congress

Nguyen Huy Tang, deputy head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, led a delegation to the 10th Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB)’s Congress in Dahka from October 11-13.

At a reception for Tang, CPB President Manjurul Ahsan Khan and General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim highly valued the achievements made by Vietnam during the renewal period, which serve as a great source of encouragement to the global struggle for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress.

They expressed hope that the two Parties will further promote the traditional friendship and cooperation and threw their support behind the development of multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

During the event, the Vietnamese delegation met with their foreign counterparts from Russia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and other representatives of the ruling Awami League and the Workers’ Party of Bangladesh, who also expressed their desire to further strengthen cooperation at the Governmental level.

Earlier from October 7-10, they visited India and met with leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPI-Marxist, during which, they discussed ways to promote bilateral ties, especially the exchange of delegations, experience and information.

Vietnam holds exchange with Lao alumni

An exchange with Lao officials who once studied in Vietnam took place in Vientiane on October 12, as part of activities to celebrate the 2012 Vietnam – Laos, Laos – Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Ta Minh Chau highly valued the Lao alumni’s practical and important contributions to Vietnam during the wartime.

He expressed thanks to the Lao Party and State leaders for helping the Vietnamese embassy and other agencies fulfill their assigned tasks over the past years, contributing to strengthening the Vietnam – Laos special ties.

Senior Lao officials, who once studied in Vietnam, including Justice Minister Chaleune Yiapaoheu and Minister of Industry and Trade Nam Vinhaketh, said the Vietnamese people created all possible favourable conditions for them during their stay in the country, which have made them determined to foster the Laos – Vietnam special friendship.

Participants also recited poems, played pan-pipes and staged traditional Vietnamese music during the event.

VNN/VNS/VOV/VNA