Viet Nam, Russia to increase strategic partnership

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong met his Russian counterpart, Alexei N Borodavkin, in Moscow on Monday to convey a letter from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The letter included important proposals to boost the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Borodavkin said Russia valued the Dung's move to send a special envoy to convey the letter, which, Borodavkin said, showed the special trust in the relationship between the two countries' leaders.

Russian leaders were pleased to see the dynamic development of the strategic partnership in the recent past and would continue to work closely with Viet Nam to expand and deepen bilateral ties to serve the cause of development and modernisation of the two countries, he said.

The two officials also exchanged views on other issues of international and bilateral co-operation.

Concern voiced over Libya unrest

She made the statement yesterday in response to reporters' question about Viet Nam's reaction to the situation in the North African nation.

"Viet Nam is concerned over current developments in Libya and hopes that the political situation will be brought to normal soon," Nga said.

"Some 10,000 Vietnamese are working and living in Libya. The Foreign Ministry has instructed the Vietnamese embassy in Libya to closely follow the developments and work with responsible agencies to take immediate measures to ensure the safety of Vietnamese guest workers and other citizens there."

Vietnam hails neighbours’ agreement on ceasefire

Vietnam welcomes an agreement on ceasefire and resumption of dialogues on border issues reached by Cambodia and Thailand, said a Vietnamese diplomat.

Vietnam also supported the role of ASEAN as well as effort of the ASEAN Chair in assisting both sides to peacefully solve disputes, Assistant to Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said at an ASEAN unofficial meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 22.

Vinh, who headed the Vietnamese delegation to the meeting, stressed the importance of peace, and stability in the region, reaffirming the wish that both sides would exert maximum restraint, carry out the ceasefire agreement and solve disputes by peaceful measures based on fundamental principles of international laws, the UN and ASEAN Charters and the Treaty for of Amity and Cooperation (TAC).

The regional unofficial meeting was convened to discuss regional and international issues of common concern, including recent border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand.

At the meeting, the foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand reported the latest developments in their common border area, while the Indonesian FM stressed the efforts made by his country as ASEAN Chair in increasing contacts and assistance for both sides’ resettlement.

ASEAN FMs expressed their wishes that Cambodia and Thailand would exert restraint and solve their disputes through peaceful measures based on the ASEAN Charter and TAC as well as the spirit of ASEAN solidarity for the benefit of both countries’ people and peace, stability in the region and the ASEAN Community.

The ministers also welcomed the two neighbours’ commitments to peacefully solving disputes and agreements on ceasefire, avoidance of armed clashes and early resumption of border negotiation mechanisms reached by the two countries’ military representatives on Feb. 19.

VNN/VOV/VNS