Nation to co-operate in managing scarce water

Viet Nam is willing to co-operate with countries and exchange experiences in managing water resources and coping with natural disasters.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said this at the plenary session of the second Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, yesterday, May 20.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan (right) meets with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday, May 20, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Thailand.

Nhan said Viet Nam, like other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, was facing great challenges in water security and natural disasters in the context of global climate change.

Natural disasters have claimed around 400 lives in Viet Nam and caused damage equal to 1.2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product each year over the past decade.

In efforts to cope with the challenges, Viet Nam has promulgated and implemented strategies on water security and water-related disaster prevention.

The Deputy Prime Minister called for the ratification of the UN Convention on the Law of International Water Resources Utilisation, strengthened co-operation and experience sharing in water resource management and exploitation, and a regional common strategy on water resource management towards a sustainable development goal.

He said that Viet Nam had actively co-operated in water resource management with countries sharing the same rivers, especially the Mekong.

Participants agreed on the need for a plan to handle the increased challenges posed by floods in the Asia-Pacific, the region most affected by natural disasters.

The summit issued a Chiang Mai declaration, indicating regional leaders' interest in and commitment to the problem.

On the sidelines of the summit, Nhan paid a courtesy visit to Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. They agreed to reinforce a strategic partnership between the two countries, scheduled for this year.

Vietnam attends regional security policy conference

A Vietnamese high-level delegation led by Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan is attending the ASEAN Regional Forum Security Policy Conference (ASPC) that takes place in Brunei from May 21-24.

This year’s ASPC focuses on current security challenges and the importance of fostering people-to-people exchange in defence and military organisations of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The participants also discuss cooperation measures as well as regional and international efforts in strengthening network security.

Attending the conference, the Vietnamese delegation aims to affirm the Party and State’s foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification and protection of the national interests.

It is also to confirm Vietnam’s role and position as an active and responsible ASEAN member towards regional and international issues for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Vietnam, US intensify search for servicemen remains

Vietnam and the US hope to promote activities to find the remains of servicemen who died during the war in Vietnam.

This was discussed in a meeting between Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defence, and W.M.Winfield, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Affairs (POW/MIA) in Hanoi on May 20.

During the meeting, Vinh said he believed that Winfield’s visit will help in the search for remains of the two countries’ soldiers that went missing during the war.

Over the past years, Vietnam has always discussed the search during bilateral meetings, considering it a deed that demonstrates the humanitarian policy, goodwill and cooperation of the Vietnamese Government and people, helping ease the pain of US families, whose members went missing during the war, added Vinh.

He also proposed the US side continue to find more incentives to boost the search activities as well as join Vietnam to solve the consequences of the war, such as the disposal of bombs and mines, the detoxification of AO/dioxin in Vietnam and humanitarian support.

In response, Winfield appreciated the valuable and efficient support of the Vietnamese Government, people and veterans in the search and repatriation of the remains of American servicemen over the past 25 years.

He also hoped that the Vietnamese Government and people will continue creating favourable conditions for the US and the joint task force to investigate and look for remains in the Central region, Quang Binh province and some coastal areas in Vietnam.

Ordinance ensures people’s religious freedom right

The Ordinance on Religion and Belief has created a favourable legal corridor for ensuring people’s right to religious freedom.

Pham Dung, Head of the Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs was speaking at a conference to review the implementation of the Ordinance over the past eight years in Ho Chi Minh City on May 20.

The Ordinance on Religion and Belief took effect on November 15, 2004, marking a milestone in the process of perfecting a system of legal documents to regulate religious and belief activities in the country.

Dung said the Ordinance has delighted dignitaries and religious followers, encouraging them to join the national unity bloc as well as national movements to promote socio-economic development.

In reviewing the enforcement of the document, any revisions and supplements to the Ordinance can be submitted to competent State agencies, which can be followed by the building of a law on region and belief to safeguard the right to religious and belief freedom of individuals and organisations to suit the country’s socio-economic development, he said.

Apart from its practicality, the document has, however, revealed limitations in the domains where it yet covers, said representatives of religious dignitaries at the conference.

They pointed to a number of concepts relating to religious activities and State management over religious activities, and the absence of regulations on State management over religious schools after they are established.

The registration and recognition of a religious organisation also faces difficulties in the absence of a legal foundation to clarify religions, beliefs, and superstition, the representatives said.

Workshop on foreign news service held

A workshop to introduce the foreign news service development strategy for the 2011-2020 period and the Government’s action programme in the field for the 2013-2020 period was held in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on May 20.

The event drew the participation of officials from provincial and municipal party committees, people’s committees, commissions on popularisation and education, as well as departments of information and communications, foreign affairs and culture, sports and tourism of 21 southern provinces and cities.

Participants heard topics on global and regional situations and recent achievements in external affairs of the Party and State; East Sea issues; relations between Vietnam and countries, including ASEAN nations.

They were also provided with reports on international integration and emerging issues of localities and development of external news service programmes and plans in 2014 for localities.

According to the Government’s action programme, from this year, all ministries, departments, provincial and municipal people’s committees and socio-political organisations develop their annual action programmes and plans on foreign affairs.

By 2015, ministries, departments and provincial people’s committees must have officials specialising in external affairs.

VNN/VNS/VNA