Opinions sought on NA candidates

The Government Office held a meeting to collect voters' opinions on the candidates for the 13th National Assembly yesterday, March 14.

The 117 voters working at the office were present at the meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen Sinh Hung, Hoang Trung Hai, Nguyen Thien Nhan and Truong Vinh Trong and Government Office Chairman Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Voters were told about the requirements to become NA deputies in accordance with the Election Law. They also heard the biographies and employment history of five of the candidates.

All voters agreed to endorse these five candidates for the NA after voting.

Eighty voters at the Party Central Committee Office also endorsed two other candidates.

Present at the meeting were Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong as well as Politburo member and CPVCC Permanent Secretary Truong Tan Sang.

On the same day, 240 voters from the NA offices, were also present at another meeting to hear the backgrounds of 61 candidates to be elected to the 13th National Assembly.

Besides the nine candidates introduced by the Politburo, 33 were introduced by the Secretariat of the CPV Central Committee and 19 were from the NA's delegation. Voters also agreed to endorse these 61 candidates.

Viet Nam offers aid, sympathy to Japan

Viet Nam is prepared to help and support Japan through whatever means necessary, foreign ministry spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga said yesterday, March 14, in response to a reporter's query on Viet Nam's reaction to the disaster on March 11.

"Vietnam shares with Japan and the Japanese people the agonies and losses they are suffering from the earthquake and tsunami," Nga said.

She said she believed Japan would be able to overcome the catastrophic consequences and continue to grow.

She also said the Vietnamese Government would provide Japan with US$200,000 in emergency aid and would send a medical team if requested by the Japanese government.

"We are working with the Japanese on what they need so we can supply them with it promptly," Nga concluded.

Foreign Deputy Minister Ho Xuan Son yesterday, March 14, also told Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Yasuaki Tanizaki that he deeply sympathised with Japan's losses, while affirming the solidarity of Vietnamese to Japanese people under these difficult circumstances.

Ambassador Tanizaki told the host that Japan was working with Vietnamese representative offices to protect Vietnamese living in the country.

USCIS to close Vietnam field office

The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will close its field office in the southern city of Ho Chi Minh on March 31.

VNN/VOV/VNS