President receives Lao Presidential Office Minister

President Truong Tan Sang in Hanoi on January 23 received Minister to the Lao Presidential Office Phongsavath Boupha.

The visit by the minister, which follows the two countries’ successful Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam 2012 Friendship and Solidarity Year, continues to strengthen relations between the two sides, said Sang.

President Truong Tan Sang receives Minister to the Lao Presidential Office Phongsavath Boupha. (Source: VNA)

In 2013, leaders of Vietnam and Laos’ presidential offices should work out more cooperation programmes to expand the contents of agreements between the two countries’ politburos, he suggested.

Earlier, on behalf of his President, the Lao minister awarded the First Class Isala Order to the Presidential Office of Vietnam, the Second Class Isala Order to the Head of the Presidential Office Dao Viet Trung, and Friendship Orders to five officials within the office. He also awarded Friendship Medals to two others in the office in recognition of their contributions to the comprehensive cooperation between the two offices.

NA Chairman urges for changes in crime prevention

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has urged the Government to take more drastic measures to improve the prevention, detection and settlement of law violations and crimes.

Hung made the request in Hanoi on January 23 while co-chairing a NA Standing Committee conference to implement the revised Anti-Corruption Law and Resolution No. 37/2012/QH.

He stressed that the focus of the revised law and resolution is to stop legal violations and crimes increasing.

The Government should coordinate with the Party Central Committee’s Commissions for Organisation and the Interior in restructuring the Central Steering Committee on Corruption Prevention, he said.

For the resolution to succeed, Hung emphasised that closer examination and supervision of its implementation is required.

He noted that it is the first time the NA has issued a crime prevention and judicial resolution, reflecting the Party and State’s focus on the issue.

The purpose of the resolution is to create positive changes in crime prevention in 2013, ensuring a better life for people, boosting socio-economic development and maintaining political security, social order and safety, he said.

At the conference, the NA Chairman praised the Government, ministries, the People’s Procuracy, the People’s Court and relevant agencies’ efforts in 2012 to fight legal violations, crimes and corruption.

However, he pointed out shortcomings and limitations, such as complicated developments in law violations, crimes and corruption activities, inadequate court hearings and poor education for criminals.

Party leader visits Ho Chi Minh historical site

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on January 23 laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh memorial plate in London on his visit to the UK.

The plate was placed at New Zealand Building in Hay market which was formerly Carlton Hotel where the late President worked 100 years ago.

Trong also visited the hotel’s kitchen where the President worked during the 1913-1917 period.

Costa Rica: Vietnam is a friend and partner

Costa Rica considers Vietnam a reliable friend and partner, President Laura Chinchilla Miranda has said.

Costa Rica and Vietnam have many similarities and potential that needs to be tapped to develop their cooperative relations, Miranda told Vietnamese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Nguyen Duy An, who presented his credentials to the president on January 18.

She also hopes that ties between the two countries will enter a new phase of development.

Ambassador An confirmed that Vietnam wants to enhance its friendship and cooperative relationship with Costa Rica.

Signing of Paris Agreement marked in Russia

The Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association (RVFA) and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia jointly held a ceremony in Moscow on January 22 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreement (January 27, 1973-2013) and the 70th anniversary of the Soviet people’s Stalingrad Victory (February 2, 1943-2013).

The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Pham Xuan Son, RVFA President Vladimir Buyanov and former Soviet military experts in Vietnam.

Addressing the function, Son stressed that the Soviet people’s Stalingrad victory was a great spiritual encouragement for the Vietnamese people, leading to their successful August 1945 Revolution and the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Later, with the Soviet people’s diplomatic support and material assistance, Vietnam succeeded in forcing the US to sign the historical Paris Agreement in 1973, he said.

The ambassador said the two anniversaries will help educate young generations on the heroic past of their predecessors.

Major General Anatoly Pozdeev, former Soviet military expert in Vietnam, said that people of his generation proudly call the Hanoi–Dien Bien Phu in the air victory the Stalingrad victory in Vietnam.    

SCOV delegation visits Laos

Leading the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) delegation, Nguyen Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the committee, met representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy, the Overseas Vietnamese Federation in Laos and the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Vientiane on January 22.

At the meeting, Minister of the Vietnamese Embassy Luong Quoc Huy, Vice President of the Federation Tran Hanh and the Association Chairman Nguyen Duy Trung briefed Deputy Minister Son on the overall situation of overseas Vietnamese in Laos.

Addressing the event, Son spoke highly of the efforts overseas Vietnamese have made in the past, and applauded them on overcoming difficulties, promoting national traditions and developing the Vietnam-Laos friendship.

Overseas Vietnamese need to continue building a stronger Vietnamese community, which will serve as a bridge for Vietnam-Laos relations, Son added.

The official expressed his hope that Vietnamese people in Laos will continue to overcome integration challenges and help further Vietnam-Laos ties in 2013.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese Military Art Troupe performed for the overseas Vietnamese in Laos.

Vietnam, Oman further diplomatic ties

Vietnam and Oman inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on strengthening bilateral diplomatic cooperation in New York, the US, on January 22.

The signatories to the MoU were the Permanent Representative of Vietnam’s Permanent Delegation in the United Nations, Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, and his Omani counterpart, Ambassador Luytha Sultan Al-Mughairy.

The signing marks a new step in further fostering friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Oman in general and the two countries’ foreign ministries in particular.

Under the newly-signed deal, the foreign ministries of Vietnam and Oman will regularly organise periodical meetings and consultations to review the development of bilateral relations in politics, economics, culture, technology, science, and education, as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concerns.

In addition, diplomatic representatives of Vietnam and Oman in the third countries and international organisations as well as delegates of the two countries participating international conferences, in appropriate time, are entitled to hold consultations on matters of mutual interest.

Ambassador Luytha Sultan Al-Mughairy said Oman and Vietnam have a lot of potential to unceasingly broaden their cooperation for each country’s prosperity and for peace, and stability in their region and the world, which will be realised on the foundation of the freshly signed document.

Exhibition celebrates 40th anniversary of Paris Peace Accords

An exhibition to commemorate 40 years since the signing of the Paris Peace Accords opened in Hanoi on January 23.
Present at the exhibition were former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh and leaders from various ministries and agencies.

On show were more than 140 photos, 21 quotes, 23 exhibits, 3 documents and 8 books.

One of the more significant pieces was a notebook which contains signatures from more than 1,000 Cuban nationals in support of Vietnam's anti-US resistance war.

The event aims to help visitors gain a deeper insight into the war period under the clear-sighted leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, as well as the support given by peace-loving countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga said that the Paris Peace Accords was a big diplomatic victory for Vietnam, putting an end to the war and marking a turning point in the national revolutionary cause.

VNN/VNA/VOV