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.

PM meets World Bank director, outgoing Belgian ambassador

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung meets Ambassador of the Belgian Embassy in Vietnam Hubert Cooreman. (Photo: Vietnam+)

PM Dung thanked the World Bank for its support to Viet Nam authorities to surmount difficulties caused by the global economic crisis, especially in the first six months of this year.

He said Viet Nam was determined to implement its goals of curbing inflation, maintaining macro-economic stability and social security by more effectively implementing solutions in Government Resolution 11/CP.

The PM said he wished the bank would continue to provide assistance in creating investment sources for essential infrastructure projects.

Victoria Kwakwa spoke highly of Viet Nam's achievements in maintaining macro-economic stability and social security, increasing foreign exchange reserves and stabilising the prices of essential goods.

Resolution 11/CP had helped to maintain economic growth and consolidated the confidence of domestic and foreign investors, maintaining the attractions of the Vietnamese market in foreign business eyes, she said, adding that this was a significant success.

The same day at a meeting with Belgian Ambassador Hubert Cooreman, PM Dung thanked the Belgian government for doubling its official development assistance to Viet Nam and closely working with it at international forums.

He said Belgium had generously created conditions for Vietnamese to live, work and study in Belgium.

Two-way trade between Viet Nam and Belgium was now about $US1 billion.

The PM said he wished the ambassador, in any future position, could continue to contribute to strengthening friendship between the two countries.

Ambassador Cooreman said Viet Nam and its people would continue to harvest new successes as well as engage in further ties with Belgium.

Praise for VN expert help in Cambodia

Many Vietnamese experts helped the Cambodian revolution, setting a friendly way for future generations to continue, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet yesterday, July 18.

Triet was addressing a delegation from the Liaison Committee for Former Vietnamese Experts in Cambodia in Ha Noi yesterday.

The State leader said Cambodia's current development achievements was influenced by the contributions of the former experts and the sacrifices made by Vietnamese soldiers.

The President said that after assisting the Cambodian people to liberate their country in 1979, the Vietnamese Party and State sent tens of thousands of Vietnamese experts in all fields to Cambodia to help the country reduce poverty and epidemics.

More opportunities

Also yesterday,  July 18, Triet received Saeed Al Ghurair, chief executive officer (CEO) of the United Arab Emirates' Al Ghurair Commodities LLC, who is touring Viet Nam to seek investment opportunities.

Triet said Viet Nam always welcomed investment from overseas in all aspects of the economy. However, he said he hoped enterprises from the UAE would focus on areas related to energy security, as this was one of the UAE's strengths. Meanwhile, as Viet Nam had a strong agricultural and labour sector, the nation hoped to help the UAE with issues related to food security, he said.

Saeed Al Ghurair affirmed that Al Ghurair Commodities LLC company would do its utmost to contribute to joint efforts in encouraging more UAE investors to come to Viet Nam .

He said that energy and agriculture were extremely important fields to all countries around the world, and they were fields in which UAE businesses wished to co-operate with Viet Nam, since the UAE considered Viet Nam had the potential to play an increasingly important role in global energy markets.

In the short term, Al Ghurair Commodities LLC company planned to open a representative company in Viet Nam and build a petroleum and gas base depot capable of storing 1.5-2 million tonnes, to serve as reserves for Viet Nam and to supply neighbouring countries.

Diplomatic corps pay tribute

Diplomats from a number of foreign embassies in Viet Nam and representatives from domestic and international organisations yesterday, July 18, visited children in Thien Phuc Humanitarian Centre in honour of Nelson Mandela International Day.

In November 2009, the United Nations instituted Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18th to recognise the contributions of the former South African President, who devoted 67 years of his life to his community, his country and the world, promoting a culture of peace and freedom.

Yesterday, the diplomats and representatives gave gifts to the children, including six sewing machines, two television sets and five electric fans.

Founded in 2010 in the northern province of Bac Giang, Thien Phuc Humanitarian Centre is home to 35 orphans, disabled and disadvantaged children, and acts as a sponsor to 47 orphans.

Friendship alliance arrives

President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations Vu Xuan Hong received a Japanese friendship delegation led by Kimiaki Matsuzaki, deputy president of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance, in Ha Noi yesterday, July 18,

Matsuzaki handed a letter from the Alliance to Hong to thank the Viet Nam Union and thank the Vietnamese Government, people and organisations for their assistance to Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims.

Hong said that Viet Nam's assistance to Japan was modest in comparison with the difficulties of the Japanese people.

VN backs Lao defence

Viet Nam's Ministry of Defence supported the initiatives of the Lao Defence Academy and would ask the Vietnamese Defence Academy to help its Lao counterparts, said minister General Phung Quang Thanh.

Thanh was speaking during a meeting with major-general Thoong-loi, head of the Lao Defence Academy and other delegates during a trip to Viet Nam.

He said the Defence Academy could help Laos with staff training, information technology and technical training, as well as doctorate level training for Lao defence officials.

He said Viet Nam always welcomed Lao teachers and officials to exchange ideas and experiences.

Laos, Vietnam discuss search for soldiers’ remains

Two special working groups from the Lao and Vietnamese governments held a meeting in the central city of Danang on July 18 to discuss the search, disinterment and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who were killed in Laos.

The working groups reviewed their duties and acknowledged their achievements. In the dry seasons of 2010 and 2011, the two sides found, exhumed and repatriated nearly 500 sets of remains.

At the meeting, Vietnamese people’s committees praised the 13 collectives and 53 individuals that provided precise information on the graves of Vietnamese soldiers in Laos.

VN, Australia enhance ties

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations Vu Xuan Hong received a visiting delegation from the Australia-Viet Nam Friendship Association, led by its president Paul Noak, in Ha Noi yesterday, July 18.

Hong said the visit would strengthen relations between the two countries and the Australia-Viet Nam Friendship Association would continue to support Vietnamese Agent Orange victims and Vietnamese children.

Paul Noak said that since the association's establishment in September 2010, it had actively supported the National Fund for Vietnamese Children and families of Agent Orange victims while assisting in the exchange of culture, education and training between Australia and Viet Nam.

He said he wished to boost co-operation with Viet Nam friendship associations and said the visit was the first since the association was founded.

In Viet Nam until tomorrow, the delegation will work with the National Fund for Vietnamese Children and pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.

VN to host naval security talks

ASEAN naval chiefs are set to meet on regional security issues at the 5th ASEAN Naval Chiefs Meeting scheduled to open in Ha Noi on July 27.

The event will be hosted by the Viet Nam People's Navy and themed "ASEAN Naval Co-operation for Sea Peace and Security."

At the meeting, naval chiefs are set to discuss co-operation in dealing with regional security issues as well as the ASEAN Naval Forces Co-operation Orientation and the Exchange among Young ASEAN Naval Officers programmes.

Viet Nam aims to host the first exchange among ASEAN naval officers, scheduled to take place during the first quarter of 2012.

Participants at the event will also visit various Viet Nam People's Navy units and attend several bilateral meetings.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA