State President meets with outgoing Iraqi ambassador

On March 21, State President Truong Tan Sang received Iraqi ambassador to Vietnam Faris Abdulkarim Zarawi Al-Ani, who paid a farewell visit before ending his term in Vietnam.

Photo: VNA
Iraqi Ambassador Al-Ani thanked Vietnamese agencies for helping him during his term of office, while praising Vietnam’s achievements in the process of national construction and defence.

Both countries have great potential for boosting bilateral cooperation to raise two-way trade turnover to higher than US$1 billion. Iraq supports Vietnam reopening its embassy in Baghdad, which will serve as a bridge for the promotion of relations between the two countries.

President Sang spoke highly of the Iraqi diplomat’s significant contributions to strengthening the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, affirming that Vietnam always follows with keen interest what Iraqi people have achieved in ensuring political stability, rebuilding the nation and boosting economic development.

Mr Sang expressed his pleasure at the positive development in bilateral cooperation, especially the success of the 18th session of the Vietnam-Iraq Joint Committee held in May last year.

President Sang said the two nations should coordinate closely in finding solutions to raise bilateral trade, hoping that Iraq, Vietnam’s major trade partner in the Middle East, will create the best possible conditions for Vietnamese businesses to operate efficiently there.

He also asked the Iraqi Government and Foreign Ministry to help Vietnam resume its embassy’s activities in Baghdad soon.

Through the Iraqi ambassador, Mr Sang invited the Iraqi President to visit Vietnam.

Russian press praises VN national renewal

First Deputy General Director of the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Mikhail Kalmykov praised the great achievements of the Vietnamese people in their national modernisation process under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The ITAR-TASS Deputy General Director was speaking at an annual meeting between the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and Russian enterprises and the media, in Moscow on Mar. 20.

Mikhail Kalmykov said he was proud of energy cooperation projects between the two countries like the Pha Lai thermal power plant and the Hoa Binh hydropower plant, as well as the Binh Thuan nuclear power plant in the future.

Meeting participants included representatives from the Russian foreign ministry, the Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific research centre, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the oil and gas group Zarubezhneft, and Nasa Planheta (Our Planet) television channel.
They agreed that the two sides should tap their potential to boost cooperation and strategic partnership ties between the two countries.

Many of the participants have visited Vietnam and had good impressions about the country. They promised to encourage Russian people and businessmen to visit Vietnam .

Addressing the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Pham Xuan Son said the Vietnam-Russia traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperation are constantly being enhanced and the two countries are preparing for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to bring their economic relations on a par with expanding political ties.

Japan to donate training, research equipment

Japan has decided to provide Viet Nam with 300 million Yen (US$3.6 million) in non-refundable aid to buy industrial products from enterprises hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami.

Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Yasuaki Tanizaki and Transport Minister Dinh La Thang signed an exchange of notes for the aid in the capital yesterday.

The aid will help beneficiaries purchase products including training and research equipment for students of shipbuilding mechanics and the marine environment alongside railway maintenance and safety gear.

The Viet Nam Transport Ministry sees these as key industries for investment.

The money will be channeled through the Japan International Co-operation System.

The project will start next month under the one-year management of the Viet Nam Maritime University.

The Japanese grant is part of a global aid package to various countries aimed to help companies and areas ravaged by the disaster in March 2011.

Defence Minister receives EU delegation to Viet Nam

Viet Nam Defence Minister Gen. Phung Quang Thanh met in Ha Noi yesterday, March 21, with Ambassador Franz Jessen, Head of the European Union (EU) delegation.

At the reception, Thanh affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence was willing to promote co-operation and dialogue with the EU on defence and security, as well as on other issues of common concern.

Both host and guest agreed that EU member countries were not only Viet Nam's top trading partners but also leading investors in Viet Nam. Viet Nam has traditionally maintained good relations with many countries in the EU.

In the field of defence, Viet Nam enjoyed bilateral co-operation with several EU member countries, they said.

Condolences sent to Malta over death of former president

President Truong Tan Sang yesterday sent his condolences to Maltese President George Abela regarding the death of the country's former President Vincent Censu Tabone.

Vietnam-Italy: connecting business and culture

With the theme, “Culture and Enterprises”, the Italy-Vietnam Programme 2012 with a series of activities aims to reinforce the already sound relationships between the two countries.

The Italian Ambassador to Vietnam Lorenzo Angeloni made this statement at a press briefing to introduce the programme on Mar. 21.

The Ambassador said the programme, firstly held in 2011, is a good chance for both countries to advertise each nation’s images and culture to the other, promoting mutual understanding and creating favourable conditions for cultural organisations and businesses of the two sides to step up their cooperation.

One of the targets of the programme is to strengthen the exchange of ideas and initiatives among state-owned and private sectors of the two countries.

The first activity of the programme is a contest called “I am great” (Io sono bellissima), which includes two categories of photo and writing competitions.

The targeted participants of the contest are Italian and Vietnamese women, aiming to boost their exchange. Competitors can submit their works by Aug. 8 and the award ceremony is planned to take place on Oct. 20, the Day of Vietnamese Women.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA