Belarus counts on Vietnam in trade with ASEAN

Belarus wants to be assisted by Vietnam in efforts to expand its presence in Southeast Asian markets, Belarus’s Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich has said.

ASEAN markets with a combined 500 million population offer a great potential for trade activities, the PM told a press briefing in the capital city of Minsk on September 14.

He said the fine traditional relationship with Vietnam, which is seen by Belarus as a centre in Southeast Asia, can help speed up the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the single economic space (EEP), which consists of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and ASEAN.

Through it, Belarus can also diversify and increase significantly its export lines to Southeast Asia, the PM said.

Vietnam active in Montreal protocol

A ceremony to mark 25 years of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the Int’l Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer was held in Ho Chi Minh City on Sept. 15.

At the event, Deputy Head of the Department of Hydro-Meteorological and Climate Change Nguyen Khac Hieu said Vietnam joined the Montreal Protocol in January, 1994.

The UN Environmental Programme praised Vietnam ’s active contributions to the Montreal Protocol as the nation has completely eradicated 500 tonnes of chlorofluorocarbon ( CFC ) and 3.8 tonnes of halon since the start of 2010.

Hieu said Vietnam can completely deplete other ozone destroying substances in 2025 with international organisations’ financial assistance and technology.

With the World Bank’s funding of more than 9.7 million USD, Vietnam has drafted the first phase of a project to manage the depletion of HCFCs in Vietnam from 2012-2016 which aims to replace HCFC-141b used in the production of insulated foam with cyclopentane technology and increase the capacity of Vietnam’s customs agency in controlling HCFCs import-export.

The second phase of the project worth 15 million USD will be deployed after 2016 in order to completely end the use of HCFCs in Vietnam.

Largest Vietnam festival underway in Japan

The fifth Vietnam Festival, the largest of its kind, opened in Tokyo on Sept. 15, as part of the Vietnam - Japan Meeting programme to mark the 39th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Doan Xuan Hung expressed his delight at the development of Vietnam – Japan ties over the past time. He said he hopes the two countries will continue working closely and effectively together, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in Asia .

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the Japanese Government and people attach importance to the ties with Vietnam and want to develop close and trustful relations with the country.

Over 70 pavilions are on display, introducing Vietnam and its culture to Japanese and international friends.

The organising board estimated that over 150,000 visitors would come to the event.

Cambodian social affairs minister welcomed

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received visiting Cambodian Minister of Social Affairs, War Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation Ith Samheng in Hanoi on September 14.

At the reception, Phuc described the visit as one of the practical and significant activities to mark the 45 th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties.

He said he is pleased with the fine development in the cooperation between the two nations in general and between Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Cambodian ministry in particular.

Phuc suggested that the two ministries increase the exchange of experts and working delegations in the coming time to share experiences in detoxification and rehabilitation for drug addicts and HIV/AIDS prevention.

The agencies should encourage border provinces to strengthen cooperation in poverty reduction, vocational training and providing medical treatment for poor people, he added.

For his part, Ith Samheng informed his host of the outcomes of his visit, especially the signing of a cooperation agreement in the field of social welfare.

He expressed that the Cambodian Government and people always remember and are grateful to the assistance and sacrifice of the Vietnamese Government and people made for Cambodia.

In the coming time, the Cambodian Government will continue to organise activities showing gratitude to Vietnamese veterans who had fought in the Cambodian battlefields.

Vietnam, Italy cement ties

Italy continues to give priority to Vietnam in its cooperation development policy, affirmed Deputy Foreign Minister Staffan De Mistura at a political consultation with his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son.

The political consultation is part of Son’s working visit to Italy from Sept. 12-18. Deputy FM Son and his entourage also paid a courtesy visit to Italian FM Giulio Terzi and joined his Italian counterpart Marta Dassu in chairing a round-table talks on strategy and international politics.

The Vietnamese delegation also met with General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) Oliviero Deliberto.

At all the meetings and working sessions, both sides said they are happy at the development of the two countries’ friendship and multi-faceted cooperation, particularly in politics-diplomacy, economics, development cooperation, culture and education-training.

Vietnam and Italy agreed to maintain the exchange of high-ranking delegations and close coordination at international and multilateral forums, especially the United Nations and within the framework of ASEM, ASEAN-EU.

The two sides were unanimous in the need to beef up cooperation among localities and regions, assist the two countries’ businesses in exploring investment and business opportunities and increase cooperation between the two countries’ universities and research institutes.

Both sides also agreed to work closely together to devise bilateral cooperation programme on for the current period, with focus on water resources management and environment, small and medium sized enterprises and human resources training.

The Italian side affirmed their plans to speed up mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation and continue ODA provision for Vietnam in the 2013-2015 period.

The Vietnamese Deputy FM also held a working session with the Italian Diplomatic Academy (IDA), in which the Italian side said they are eager to cooperate with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

At a meeting with President of Piaggio Group Roberto Colannino, Deputy FM Son said Piaggio’s successful projects are a symbol of the two countries’ fine relations.

Colannino said Vietnam plays an important role in Piaggio’s strategy in Southeast Asia.

Son is scheduled to attend the inauguration of the Vietnam Office in Tuscany region on Sept. 17.

VNN/VNS/VNA