German State governor visits Vietnam

Hessen state governor Volker Bouffier will pay an official visit to Vietnam from October 3-7 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas, including economics, education and training between Vietnam and Germany and its western state of Hessen.

Bouffier is scheduled to meet with senior Vietnamese leaders and hold working sessions with a number of ministries in Hanoi.

Leaders extend congratulations on Germany’s Unity Day

State President Truong Tan Sang and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on October 2 sent messages of congratulations to their German counterparts, Joachim Gauck and Angela Merkel on the country’s Unity Day (October 3).

The same day, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also extended his congratulations to German FM Guido Westerwelle.

Vietnam, Germany boost friendship and cooperation

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship organisations and the municipal Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association on October 2 held a get-together to mark the 22nd anniversary of the Day of German Unity (October 3, 1990 – October 3, 2012).

Addressing at the event, Nguyen Huu Thien, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association said that the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Germany has continuously fortified and seen fine developments, reaping encouraging significant achievements.

Remaining as the country’s biggest EU trading partner, two-way trade between Germany and Vietnam in 2011 registered a year-on-year increase of 33 percent to nearly 5.6 billion USD, said Thien.

In the first six months of this year, the figure reached 2.8 billion USD, of which Vietnam’s export turnover worth 1.9 billion USD.

Cooperation between the city and German localities has seen much progress in various fields. Currently, a part from the city’s leading trading partner, Germany is also listed as one the city’s key markets for trade promotion and investment. In addition, Germany is financing several major infrastructure and education projects in the city.

Conrad Cappel, German Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City said that his country has always attached importance to further tightening cooperation with Vietnam, not only in politics but also in the fields of culture, science, economics, development policies and legality.

The fact that the two countries agreed to lift bilateral relations into a strategic partnership in 2011 marked a milestone in the development process, laying a sound foundation for future cooperation, said the German diplomat.

The same day, Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh sent congratulatory messages to German Federal President Joachim Gauck, Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, respectively.

Party delegation visits Greece

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by Associate Professor and Dr. Vu Van Phuc, Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review, paid a working visit to Greece from Sept. 23-30.

The delegation paid a courtesy visit to Aleka Papariga, General Secretary of the Greek Communist Party Central Committee, Nikos Seretakis, who is in charge of the SolidNet website of the Greek Communist Party and other party members.

At the working sessions, Phuc said that his visit aimed to strengthen cooperation between the Communist Review and SolidNet and expand information channel on the CPV, Vietnamese land and peole via SolidNet.

The Greek side lauded the CPV’s intention to provide information for SolidNet.

On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding between the Communist Review and SolidNet was signed to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation.

Under the agreement, SolidNet will publish news and articles in English relating to the CPV in particular and Vietnam in general provided by the Communist Review.

VN active during UNHRC’s 21st session

Vietnam was busy at the recent 21st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva during its bid to run for a seat at the Council for the 2014-2016 tenure.

During the two-week session, which began on September 10, the delegates heard reports from the special rapporteurs, working parties and independent experts in issues relating to children involved in armed conflicts.

They discussed the problems that affect indigenous peoples, mercenaries; the harmful effects of hazardous wastes; modern-day slavery; safe water supplies; poverty; combating racial discrimination; human rights and international solidarity; democracy and a just international order.

In addition, they discussed the human rights situation in Syria, Somali, Sudan and Cambodia and later approved reports from working parties regarding the Universal Periodic Reviews submitted by 14 countries.

In his speech at the session, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, head of Vietnam’s Delegation to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, praised the efforts being made to ensure human rights in the Philippines, Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia.

He stated that Vietnam always ceaselessly attempts to contribute more to international and regional organisations. Thanh also underlined that Vietnam looks forward to working and cooperating with every country and economy in the world and shares the same goals of peace, security, prosperity and human development.

The Vietnamese Government hopes to receive a higher level of support and cooperation to protect and promote human rights, added the ambassador.

At his September 25 talks with a special rapporteur on the situation in Cambodia, Thanh highlighted Vietnam’s policy of friendship, solidarity and cooperation with Cambodia, as well as Cambodia’s achievements in ensuring political stability and boosting economic development to create a peaceful, stable and developed country.

RoK’s National Foundation Day marked in Hanoi

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has congratulated achievements gained by the government and people of the Republic of Korea (RoK) during the process of national construction and development, and expressed his belief that the RoK will continue yielding greater success in the time to come.

The Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister made the remarks at a get-together held by the RoK Embassy in Hanoi on October 2 to mark the 4,345th anniversary of the RoK’s National Foundation Day, which dates back in Oct. 3 in 2333 B.C.

Expressing delight at the deepened development of cooperation between the two countries, RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Ha Chan-ho hailed the importance of the event, as the two countries are jointly organising a series of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of Vietnam-RoK diplomatic relations in 2012.

In the past 20 years, bilateral relations have been lifted to a new height in all fields, including politics, economics and culture, said the diplomat.

Two-way trade between the two countries in 2012 is expected to reach a record turnover of 20 billion USD, up from last year’s figure of 18.6 billion USD, he added.

Philippine defence official welcomed in Hanoi

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defence, received Colonel Michellers Logronio, Military Attaché of the Philippines, in Hanoi on October 2.

Vinh briefed the guest about defence relations between Vietnam and the Philippines over the past time, expressing wish that Michellers Logronio will make contributions to developing the friendship and defence cooperation between the two countries.

Michellers Logronio said he hopes that Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence will create conditions for him during his term of office in Vietnam, helping foster the friendship and cooperation between the two defence ministries for peace, friendship, cooperation, stability and development in the region and the world at large.

Romania wants to boost economic cooperation with Vietnam

Romanian President Traian Basescu has asked the newly accredited Vietnamese ambassador cooperate with his country’s relevant agencies to promote bilateral economic cooperation.

The proposal was made at the recent reception given to Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Xuan Thuy as he presented his credentials.

The Vietnamese diplomat thanked Romania for supporting Vietnam to host the 15th Francophone Summit in 2014 and proposed the country back Vietnam’s activities in the United Nations and with the European Union.

He affirmed to do his best to contribute to the Vietnam-Romania traditional friendship and cooperation, especially in trade and economics.


Vietnam, Ukraine beef up judicial cooperation

Vietnam and Ukraine have discussed the organisation and operational structure, tasks and management of the judicial system and shared Ukrainian experiences in training, appointing and employing judges and staff.

The discussions took place at meetings and working sessions between deputy chief judge of Vietnam ’s Supreme People’s Court Dang Quang Phuong and President of the Supreme Court of Ukraine Pylypchuk P. F, Rector of the National School of Judges of Ukraine Maliaianko V. T, and head of Court of Appeal of Kiev Chernushenko A.V.

Vietnam, Cambodia document joint history

A Vietnamese delegation of the project for compiling historical documentation on relations between Vietnam and Cambodia from 1930-2010 has visited Cambodia to promote the implementation of the project.

Led by deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and Pham Van Linh, the delegation held talks with their Cambodian counterparts led by Sim Ka, a member of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party’s Standing Committee, in Phnom Penh on October 1 to discuss planning the project.

They also agreed to take it in turns to review the project’s progress every year so as to determine future plans.

Sim Ka said he hoped that both countries will continue to work closely together on the project.

During their stay in Cambodia, the Vietnamese delegation will also visit Kampot and Shihanoukville provinces.

VNN/VOV/VNA