Vietnam, Hungary open-up traditional ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called for Hungary to support Vietnam in expanding cooperation with European Union (EU) countries and Free Trade Area negotiations with the EU.

Dung made the remarks at a meeting with visiting Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Public Administration and Justice, Tibor Navracsics, in Hanoi on November 15.

Recalling the fine traditional friendship between the two countries and Hungarian support of the host’s national struggle in the past and its current socio-economic development, the PM stressed that Vietnam highly values the multilateral cooperation with Hungary on a win-win basis, for the development of each country.

Dung suggested that the two sides should accelerate exchanges of delegations at all levels, support each other at regional and international forums, and increase cooperation in economics, trade, investment, education-training, culture and tourism.

Dung added that he hopes Hungary will continue to provide Official Development Assistance to Vietnam.

Navracsics said that his visit aims to boost multidimensional cooperation with Vietnam, especially in judicial and legal areas, which will serve as a spring-board for other cooperative fields of mutual interest.

The Hungarian leader affirmed that his country is willing to share its 20-year experience in judicial reform with Vietnam.

The guest also expressed wishes to increase cooperation in the fields of health, education, environment and food processing.

Party chief congratulates new Chinese leader

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong cabled a congratulatory message to Xi Jinping who was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on November 15.

In his message, Trong expressed his delight at the great success of the CPC’s 18th National Congress and said he believes under the sound leadership of the CPC, Chinese people will be able to meet the target set by the congress and gain greater achievements in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Over the years, the traditional relationship and strategic comprehensive cooperation partnership between Vietnam and China has enjoyed constant development, benefiting both people and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world as a whole, he said.

The Party chief highly valued Xi’s important contributions to developing the relationship between the two Parties and two countries in general and is confident that he will be able to raise the current relationship to a new height.

Iowa gives high priority to relations with Vietnam

Governor of the US State of Iowa Terry Branstad has said Iowa gives high priority to relations with Vietnam.

At a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Cuong in Washington on November 14, Branstad expressed his delight at the growing trade between Iowa and Vietnam over the past time, with Iowa’s exports to Vietnam jumping nearly 40 percent last year, especially farm produce.

He informed Ambassador Cuong that Iowa’s Deputy Governor is planning a visit to Vietnam next year to further boost trade ties between the two sides.

Cuong affirmed that Vietnam wants to further promote cooperative ties with Iowa , not only in economics and trade but in education, agriculture, health care and development model also.

The diplomat also hailed Brandstad’s support of the liberalisation of trade, especially efforts to speed up the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Laos awards Issara Order to Vietnamese officials

Two Vietnamese senior officials have been awarded the Lao State’s Freedom (Issara) Order for their contributions to the Vietnam-Laos special relationship, as well as the two countries’ inspection agencies.

The presentation was made by Bounthong Chitmany, a Politburo member and Secretary of Lao People’s Revolutionary Party’s Central Committee, in Hanoi on November 15.

The second-class Issara Orders were given to Chief Government Inspector Huynh Phong Tranh, and the former Chief Government Inspector, Tran Van Truyen.

Addressing the event, Bounthong Chitmany, who is also Head of the Party Central Committee’s Comission for Inspection and Chief Inspector of the Government Inspectorate of Laos, expressed his wish that senior Vietnamese inspection officials reproduce their contributions in various fields on the Lao side.

Huynh Phong Tranh said that the Vietnamese inspection agency will do its utmost to help the special friendship between the two countries, as well as the close relations of the two inspection bodies.

Vietnam, Ukraine opt for party cooperation

The Regions Party, the ruling party of Ukraine, wants to strengthen multifaceted cooperation with the Communist Party of Vietnam, according to a Ukrainian official.

The remark was made by L. Kozhara, Vice Chairman of the Regions Party, which has secured victory with a qualified majority in the recently-ended legislative elections in Ukraine - at a meeting with Hoang Binh Quan, Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations in Hanoi on November.

Quan, who is also a member of the Party Central Committee, shared the view that the two parties should foster exchanges of information, experiences and delegations to enhance social and governmental management that will facilitate the comprehensive cooperation and traditional friendship between the two countries.

During the meeting, the two sides spoke of their respective countries’ socio-economic development, as well as other regional and international issues of mutual concern.

They signed an agreement aiming to increase cooperation between the two parties.

Vietnam joins nuclear weapon disarmament efforts

Vietnam backs the non-proliferation and the disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, Major General Nguyen Dinh Chien, Director of the Military Strategy Institute, has said.

Speaking at the plenary session of the first Seoul Defence Dialogue at a deputy ministerial level (SDD-2012) in the Republic of Korea on November 15, Chien stressed that the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons should not oppose the legitimate rights of countries, especially developing nations, to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Vietnam objects to schemes that use the issue on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to interfere with internal affairs of other countries, Chien stated.

Derived from its policy of positively supporting and contributing to the joint efforts of the international community for peace, security and disarmament, Vietnam has actively participated in international activities to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Chien added.

He further said that Vietnam has joined other ASEAN countries to sign the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone agreement, and has so far participated in and strictly abided by conventions, agreements and protocols on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other international conventions on disarmament.

The country is considering other international conventions and treaties and prepares necessary conditions to fully implement its tasks as a signatory, Chien added.

Regarding the nuclear matter in the Korean peninsula, Chien affirmed that Vietnam supports negotiations on denuclearisation in the area.

The country maintained that the six-party talks are paramount for dialogue and peaceful negotiations for a nuclear-free, secure and peaceful Korean peninsula for Korean people and other regional countries.

He also affirmed that Vietnam will always support reconciliation, cooperation, peace and reunification between the two Koreans, and is willing to contribute to the process.

Vietnam attends Seoul Defence Dialogue

A delegation led by Major General Nguyen Dinh Chien, Director of the Military Strategy Institute, is attending the first Seoul Defence Dialogue at a deputy ministerial level (SDD-2012) in the Republic of Korea from November 14-16.

More than 100 senior defence officials from 15 countries and two international organisations are participating in the SDD-2012 talks.

This year’s multi-lateral forum, with the slogan “Cooperation for Peace and Security”, focuses on finding solutions for security challenges in Asia-Pacific and web security. Participants will exchange views on how to effectively promote defence activities.

The Vietnamese delegation will deliver a speech on the country’s defence policy, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the world and Vietnam’s viewpoint on the nuclear issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Vietnam plans to hold bilateral talks with other partners during the event.

VNN/VOV/VNA