Vietnam aims to promote cooperation with Egypt

On September 17, the Egyptian Official Gazette quoted Vietnamese ambassador to Egypt, Pham Sy Tam, saying that Egypt has implemented a visa exemption for official and diplomatic passport holders between the two countries to promote bilateral trade and investment.

According to Mr Tam, two-way trade between the two countries reached US$230 million last year and is expected to increase further in the near future.

He also called on Vietnamese businesses to continue boosting investment cooperation with Egypt to help the North African country reduce poverty and unemployment.

President Sang greets Aussie painter Burchett

President Truong Tan Sang welcomed painter George Burchett, son of the late Australian war correspondent Wilfred Burchett, here on Saturday. Burchett junior has organised a photo exhibition in Ha Noi in honour of his father's 100th birthday.

Sang praised Wilfred Burchett's contributions to Viet Nam's struggle for national liberation and reunification, calling the later a close friend of the Vietnamese people who braved difficulties to be present at the northern resistance base and in southern battlefields during Viet Nam's wars against the French and Americans.

The journalist spent a long time with Vietnamese soldiers, and his impartial reports contributed to waking up Western public opinion towards support for Viet Nam's struggle for national independence, said Sang.

Sang also spoke highly of the enthusiasm of George Burchett and his family in organising the exhibition which, he said, honoured the noble feelings of the late journalist for Viet Nam.

Defence ties with Australia get boost

Defence ties between Viet Nam and Australia got a boost after the Minister of National Defence, General Phung Quang Thanh received Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam, Allaster Cox, in Ha Noi Friday.

Thanh said he appreciated the diplomat's contributions to enhance Viet Nam-Australia ties.

He also expected Cox to keep working to promote the defence ties between the two countries through medical military co-operation and the aid of management devices for Vietnamese border gates.

The guest said the Australian Government would be willing to share with Viet Nam its experience in joining the United Nations peace-making forces.

Arms wide open to Indian investment

Viet Nam will continue to create favourable conditions for Indian enterprises to invest here, said President Truong Tan Sang at a reception for Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna in Ha Noi on Saturday.

Krishna is in Ha Noi to co-chair the 14th session of the Viet Nam-India Joint Committee on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Co-operation.

The results of the session would help create more favourable conditions for the two countries to promote trade and investment in line with their potential, Sang said.

Sang welcomed India's "Look East" policy and the active participation of India in the region, and voiced his support for the strengthening of the ASEAN-India dialogue.

Viet Nam consistently attached importance to its tradition of friendship and multifaceted co-operation with India and was striving to develop a strategic partnership which would bring practical benefits to both countries and contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world, Sang said.

He also affirmed Viet Nam's support for India's efforts to improve its position in the region and the world and expressed his belief that India would effectively assume permanent membership of the UN Security Council once it is expanded.

Krishna said tradition of multifaceted co-operation between India and Viet Nam was developing fruitfully and affirmed India's desire to further promote relations with Viet Nam.

He expressed his pleasure at the proceedings of the 14th session of the Viet Nam-India Joint Committee on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Co-operation, which included preparations for the upcoming official visit to India by President Sang, as well as efforts in 2012 to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties and fifth year of strategic partnership between the two countries.

Parties asked to refrain from actions over E Sea

Viet Nam has asked parties to refrain from actions that could complicate the situation in the East Sea and instead contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry's spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said Friday.

Nghi made the statement in response to reporters' queries about Viet Nam's reaction to information saying that China had recently sent a 1,000 tonne fishing boat to the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos to assist with aquaculture and fishing and about 500 fishing vessels regularly operated in the area; and other information about China opposing India's co-operation with Viet Nam in exploring oil and gas at Lot 127 and Lot 128 in Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone.

"Viet Nam affirms its incontrovertible sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagos. All activities of parties in the area without Viet Nam's acceptance are violations of its sovereignty."

He said Viet Nam affirmed that co-operation projects between Viet Nam and foreign partners in oil and gas, including projects at Lot 127 and Lot 128, located in Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, completely belonged within the rights of sovereignty and jurisdiction, in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international practice and reality, and multilateral and bilateral agreements signed by Viet Nam, he said.

"Objections against co-operation between Viet Nam and foreign partners in Viet Nam's continental shelf and 200-nautical mile economic exclusive zone are legally groundless and invalid," Nghi said.

China’s Yunnan military delegation visits Vietnam

Lieutenant General Luong Cuong, Vice Director of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) General Politics Department received Major General Yang Xingxi, Political Commissar of China’s Yunnan Military Zone, in Hanoi on Sept. 16.

Lt. Gen. Cuong stressed that political confidence and solidarity between the two armies are important factors to promote the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperation between Vietnam and China.

The two armies should be vigilant at hostile forces’ plots to sabotage the Vietnam-China solidarity and friendship, he said, adding the Yunnan military delegation’s visit is a good opportunity for the two armies and borderguard forces to share experiences and discuss measures to effectively coordinate in borderguard work.

Major Gen. Yang informed the host of the results of his working session with the Border Guard High Command and the coordination between Yunnan and the Borderguard Commands of northern Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces in maintaining border security.

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