Cuba celebrates with Indochinese friends

A meeting marking the 35th anniversary of friendly relations between Cuba and Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia was held in Havana last Friday.

At the event, President of the Cuba-Viet Nam Friendship Association Yolanda Ferrer recalled the milestones since Cuba's associations with the three Indochinese countries were set up on July 15, 1976. He remarked that the anniversary was a new stage in the development of relations between Cuba and those countries.

With time, the friendship between Cuba and Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia would continue to develop in effective ways, Ferrer stressed.

The Cambodian Ambassador to Cuba, Hay Sonnarin, on behalf of the three countries' diplomats expressed her thanks to the Cuban Party, Government and people for their fraternal sentiments, solidarity and valuable support to the national liberation causes of the three countries.

She noted that the establishment of these associations immediately after the end of three Indochinese countries' struggle for national liberation was an important element to help them overcome difficulties and rebuild and develop the country.

Also at the meeting, Cuban figures and close friends of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia, such as journalist Marta Rojas, doctor Julio Lopez and former Cuban ambassador to Viet Nam Mauro Garcia recalled their never-forgotten memories about the three countries. They reminisced over the brave fighting spirit for national independence of the peoples of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia.

The event also honoured the contributions by Moncada heroine Melba Hernandez, who is the first President of the Cuban Committee for Solidarity with South Viet Nam, the predecessor of the friendship associations.

Diplomat vows all-round relations with Mexico

The incoming ambassador cited economics, trade, investment, culture, science-technology, healthcare and training as the areas of great potential for bilateral cooperation.

“Vietnam and Mexico have well coordinated with and strongly supported each other in international organisations and multi-lateral forums, thus improving the two countries’ prestige in the international arena,” Tung emphasised.

He also conveyed President Nguyen Minh Triet’s deep gratitude to President Calderon for Mexico’s invaluable support to Vietnam’s national defence in the past and construction at present.

For his part, President Calderon highlighted numerous similarities between the two countries in their history of national construction and defence, especially in the current economic development.

“These similarities have laid the foundation for the two countries to develop bilateral relations in the years to come,” said the Mexican State leader.

He lauded the positive results of Vietnam-Mexico high-level meetings held on the sidelines of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum summits in Peru in 2008 and Japan in 2010.

Calderon also highly spoke of Vietnam’s contributions to the success of the UN climate change conference held in the coastal city of Cancun, Mexico, in 2010.

Vietnamese, Russian provinces boost cooperation

Leaders of Vietnam’s Ha Tinh province and Russia’s Sverdlov province have agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in industry, agriculture, handicrafts, export, education and training, tourism and many other fields.

The consensus was reached at a working session on July 16 between Dinh Xuan Viet, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Ha Tinh province, and Aleksandr Kharlov, Director of International and Foreign Economic Relations Department of Sverdlov province. 

The officials also introduced their respective provinces’ socio-economic and cultural conditions and strengths. 

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation attended the International Ural Exhibition and Forum of Industry and Innovations in Yekaterinburg city and met with Sergey Lednov, Director for Business Development of VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation to discuss cooperation in exploiting and processing iron ores and titanium. 

On July 15, the delegates - guests of Sverdlov Governor Aleksandr Misharin - visited the Vietnamese Consulate General and met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Yekaterinburg city.

Dong Thap urged to focus on human resources development

Dong Thap province should pay attention to human resources development with promotion of professional training and diverse forms of vocational training, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

PM Dung said this is an important, regular political task which will help the Mekong delta province make breakthroughs in its socio-economic development.

During his working session with Dong Thap authorities on July 16, the PM also spoke highly of efforts by the provincial Party Committee, authorities and people to obtain achievements in agriculture, industry, aquaculture, and to implement the Government’s Resolution 11, contributing to the country’s success.

He stressed difficulties the country are facing in the second half of this year that require the Government to continue focusing on fighting inflation, maintaining macro-economic stability and social security and achieving an appropriate growth rate.

In this spirit, the Prime Minister asked Dong Thap province to continue implementing the Government’s solution package, first of all boosting production, assisting enterprises in increasing export, ensuring the pace of effective investment disbursement, and keeping goods prices under tight control.

Dong Thap should fully exploit its natural resources and geographic advantages to develop agriculture, particularly highly-added value, clean agricultural products to serve domestic consumption and export, he said.

In addition, he urged the province to review its planning, promote the application of science and technology in agricultural production.

In the first six months of this year, Dong Thap province registered an economic growth rate of nearly 13 percent, an increase of 33.02 percent in industrial production value and a rise of 55.4 percent in exports. It also harvested 2.3 million tonnes of rice and 180,000 tonnes of aquatic products.

Vietnamese fishing vessel, crew detained in Brunei

A Vietnamese fishing and all crew on board have been detained by the Navy of Brunei to Brunei’s port of Muara, according to the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry.

“The Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei said: the Bruneian side informed that the Navy of Brunei detained the fishing vessel PY 90368 (Phu Yen province) with captain Vo Van Tu and eight crew members while they are fishing in the Bruneian sea at 12:00 on July 13, 2011, and brought the ship and crew to the port of Muara (Brunei),” said the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Consular Department on July 16.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei has sent staff to Muara port to work with local concerned agencies, met and encouraged the fishermen as soon as receiving the information, the source said, adding that the crew members’ health are in good condition.

The Foreign Ministry said it has ordered its relevant units to closely work with Brunei’s concerned agencies to implement measures on citizens’ protection and promptly solve the incident, according to the source.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA