Top Cambodian legislator to visit Viet Nam

A high ranking delegation from Cambodia's National Assembly, led by its president, Heng Samrin, will pay an official friendship visit to Viet Nam from July 20-25.

The visit is being made after an invitation from President Samrin's Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Sinh Hung.

The Cambodian NA President Heng Samrin and Cambodian Senate's Second Vice President Tep Ngon received a delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly Committee for External Relations, led by its Chairman Tran Van Hang, in Phnom Penh yesterday, July 16.

The meeting was part of the Vietnamese delegation's visit to Cambodia from July 14-19.

Vietnam, Laos strengthen trade union cooperation

Vietnam always treasures the special friendship with Laos, and will exert every effort to lift the relationship to a new height for the mutual benefit of the two peoples and for the stability, peace and cooperation in Southeast Asia and the world.

Receiving the visiting President of the Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU) Khamla Lorlonsy on July 16th in Hanoi, Ngo Van Du, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Inspection also expressed his delight at the significant and important achievements in all fields that Laos has reached during the past years, adding that he believes the country will gain further success in the renewal process, as well as in the implementation of the resolution of the 9th Party Congress and the socio-economic development plan for the next five years.

He spoke highly of the visit’s results and the strong and effective cooperation between the LFTU and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) over the years.

Du said he hopes that the two agencies will continue to work closely together to fulfill all given tasks and that exchanges can be strengthened whilst implementing the signed agreements.

He also said he believes that the joint activities to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year will contribute to deepening the traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, Khamla Lorlonsy said he is pleased to visit Vietnam in the time that the two countries and peoples are carrying out various events to celebrate the 35 years of the signing of the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty and 50 years of the establishment of the Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties.

He congratulated Vietnam on the success that the country has achieved in the cause of renewal as well as national defence and construction.

Lorlonsy said he believes that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country will successfully implement the Resolution of the 11th Party Congress.

He also briefed Du about the recent cooperation between the two trade unions, affirming that the LFTU will closely coordinate with the VGCL to effectively implement the signed agreements.

PM asks legal people to aid diplomacy

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged all Vietnamese lawyers to enhance international co-operation by joining hands in diplomatic activities to increase the country's role and reputation in the international area.

Speaking at a meeting with the Viet Nam Lawyers Association (VLA) in Ha Noi yesterday, July 16, Dung said that the VLA should continue to co-ordinate closely with ministries, agencies and localities to contribute more to law building and popularisation, administrative reform, protecting people's interests, and national sovereignty.

The Government would do its best to support the VLA to perform its tasks more effectively, he said.

Dung said he also highly valued achievements made by the VLA, which effectively contributed to the national socio-economic development over the past years.

The lawyers suggested measures to promote their activities in law building, supervision of law implementation, justice reform, anti-corruption, and solving complaints and denunciations. They also discussed ways to enhance the VLA's role in the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and the ASEAN Law Association.

At present, the VLA has 46,000 members with 63 provincial lawyers' associations, and hundreds of associations at grass-root levels.

Vietnam, Cambodia NA boost ties

Vietnam always attaches importance and gives top priority to the consolidation and development of the sound neighbourly and traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Committee for External Relations Tran Van Hang made the remarks at a meeting with Cambodian NA President Heng Samrin and Cambodian Senate’s Second Vice President Tep Ngon on July 16th in Phnom Penh.

Hang, who is leading a delegation from the Committee to visit Cambodia from July 14th-19th, briefed his hosts on the operation and cooperation results between the two NAs in the field of external relations.

He emphasised that Vietnam considers the Vietnamese-Cambodian relationship as an invaluable treasure to transmit to younger generations, for each country’s prosperity, peace, national dependence and the development of democracy and progress of the world.

For his part, Heng Samrin applauded the visit, saying that it will contribute to further boosting the traditional friendship and solidarity between the two nations and peoples.

Tep Ngon spoke highly of the cooperation results between the two NA committees for external relations over the years, while expressing his belief that the two committees will achieve further significant mutual benefits in the future.

The Vietnamese delegation is also scheduled to visit the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, several Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia, Vietnamese Embassy and other organisations.

HCM City leader receives Lao guests

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai on July 16 hosted a reception for Lao Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Thonglun Sisoulith and Vientiane Party Committee Secretary and Mayor Soukanh Mahalat.

The Lao guests are in the city to attend a meeting celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

At the meeting with the Lao Deputy PM, Hai spoke highly of the high-ranking Lao delegations’ participation in the anniversary, saying that their presence affirmed the traditional friendship, special ties and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and nations.

Hai affirmed the city has been making every effort to maintain and promote the friendship between the two countries. He also reviewed the effective cooperation between HCM City and Vientiane, Champasak province and other localities of Laos.

He stressed the event offers the two countries a chance to foster cooperation and tighten ties between the two countries and between HCM City and Lao localities in particular.

Thonglun Sisoulith highlighted the Laos-Vietnam special friendship and comprehensive cooperation. He spoke highly of the important role played by HCM City in cooperating with Lao localities.

At the meeting with Soukanh Mahalat, Hai said HCM City has been prompt in deploying its cooperation plan with the Lao capital of Vientiane, adding that it is necessary to raise the level of cooperation between the two cities, as well as between HCM City and other localities in the future.

He affirmed that the city always gives incentive policies to its enterprises to invest in Laos and said he hopes that both sides will facilitate HCM City enterprises’ investment in Vientiane.

Soukanh Mahalat asserted that Vientiane will do its best to raise the effectiveness of cooperative agreements between the two cities. He also called enterprises in HCM City to invest in Vientiane as well as expand tourism cooperation between the two localities.

The same day, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan also received a high-ranking delegation of Champasak province, led by provincial Governor Sonexay Siphandone.

US investors welcomed in Hanoi

The Vietnamese Government and National Assembly always welcome and create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the US , to do business in the country.

NA Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan made the affirmation in Hanoi on July 16 while receiving a delegation of US investors led by Robert L. Livingston, Chairman and CEO of Washington-based Livingston Group LLC.

At the reception, Ngan said that the US is a major export market of Vietnam and now one of the largest investors in the country.

The Vietnamese NA has issued a number of laws, including the Law on Foreign Investment, to encourage and create a favourable investment environment for foreign businesses, she added.

Robert, who was the 106th Speaker of the US House of Representatives, spoke highly of Vietnam’s policy and determination to continue renewal and promote international integration, as well as the country’s efforts to stabilise the macro economy and curb inflation.

He suggested that to become a regional financial centre, Vietnam should build synchronous and favourable investment policies to lure foreign investors.

Hanoi opens Vietnam-Laos Friendship Festival

Over 100 Vietnamese and Lao delegates attended the third Vietnamese-Lao People’s Friendship Festival, which opened in Hanoi on July 16.

At the 6-day festival’s opening ceremony, the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association’s President Vu Trong Kim welcomed the Lao delegates to the festival, as both countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 35 th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

Vietnam and Laos enjoy a time-honoured traditional friendship originally fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane, said Kim, adding that bolstering this special traditional and relationship is a responsibility for the Party committees, authorities, organisations and people in both countries.

He said that the third festival is an opportunity for both countries to discuss the success of friendship activities in localities across both countries as well as agree on measures to further enhance Vietnamese- Lao cooperation, to raise their relationship to a new level.

The President of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association, Phankham Viphavan, who is also a Politburo member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Laos Minister of Education and Sports, said Laos-Vietnam special friendship is a valuable treasure and safeguards the existence of both countries, which is a rare occurrence in global international relations.

He said that Laos will do its best to educate all its people, especially the younger generations, about the traditional friendship and special solidarity and fine relationship between the two Parties and nations.

On the same day, Lao delegates visited the northern province of Ninh Binh.

They are also scheduled to attend a celebratory meeting to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 35th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

Later they will visit the Tan Trao historical revolutionary site in Son Duong district and similar localities in Tuyen Quang Province.

VNN/VNS/VNA