Vietnam, Laos NA Committees strengthen cooperation

The National Assembly Committee for External Relations will do its utmost to cement the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos.

Tran Van Hang, head of the committee, made the commitment, at a reception in Vientiane on March 2, given by Lao PM Thongsinh Thammavong and NA Chairwoman Pany Zathotou.

He said the Vietnamese committee held a working session with its Lao counterpart, during which both sides agreed to work closely to prepare for a Vietnam-Laos legislative conference, an Asia-Europe Parliamentary Forum to be hosted by Laos, and a conference of the NA Committee for External Relations of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia slated for this year.

He said the two committees will strengthen cooperation in professional affairs and training, and cooperate closely in regional and international forums.

The Lao leaders welcomed Hang’s visit and briefed him on Laos’ preparations for the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year 2012.

They highlighted the special relationship between Laos and Vietnam, which they said should be maintained and developed for future generations through the exchange of legislative delegations of the two countries.

Procuracy progress monitored at meet

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung yesterday met key leaders of the Supreme People's Procuracy in an effort to improve the quality of its operations.

Reports from the procuracy revealed by Standing Deputy Director Hoang Nghia Mai, showed that last year the number of defendants declared innocent increased by 23 per cent over the previous year.

The procuracy sped up progress of more than 2,000 serious cases, organised more than 6,000 mobile trials.

The procuracy also issued more than 1,100 appeals and more than 1,600 petitions requiring law courts to correct their mistakes while implementing civil cases and administrative and commercial cases.

Now that the nation is about to revise the 1992 Constitution, Mai suggested the study on restricting the function of the procuracy or changing to a prosecutor's office was not appropriate at present.

He said the duty of the procuracy should be maintained as it was written in the Constitution.

National Assembly Deputy Chairman Uong Chung Luu said the Peoples' Procuracy should improve the litigation ability of prosecutors at trials, pay more attention to controlling procedural activities, and minimise the number of wrongfully prosecuted cases.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung praised the procuracy sector's efforts at judicial reform in past years. He said the procuracy must conclude two main functions: the right of prosecution and supervising all judiciary activities.

Vietnam promotes relations with OECD

Vietnam has always attached importance to developing relations with OECD in general and the DEV Development Centre in particular, said Vietnamese ambassador to France Duong Chi Dung.  

He was speaking at the high-level meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the DEV Development Centre.  

The Vietnamese diplomat highlighted the OECD’s draft development strategy aimed at achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), helping developing countries cope with challenges like climate change and promoting Official Development Aid and the role of OECD’s partners.

He spoke of Vietnam’s plan for closer cooperation with OECD in the 2012-2015 period, which was approved by the Vietnamese Government in February 2012.

He said Vietnam is very interested in OECD’s strategy which is expected to be approved at the OECD Forum in May 2012.  He expressed hope that the strategy will help developing nations devise their national development strategies and an international cooperative strategy and strengthen the efficiency of OECD to contribute to developing the world’s economy in the 21st century and fulfilling the MDGs.

OECD proposed four major contents including innovative and sustainable human resources for development, mobilization of human resource for development, administration for development and evaluation of development process.

As its official member since March 2008, Vietnam has cooperated with DEV in the areas of mutual interest such as development policy, aid efficiency and development of human resources. In 2010 and 2011, Vietnam co-ordinated with DEV in publishing reports on OECD’s economic prospects for South East Asia.

In his opening speech, OECD Secretary General, Angel Gurria, outlined DEV’s tasks of helping developing nations cope with challenges in the world.

Representatives from different delegations discussed issues related to building national development strategy, increasing the competitive edge of the economy and promoting social fairness.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Vietnamese diplomat held talks with head delegates from Japan, the Republic of Korea, the EU and UNDP.

Fewer people living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam

The number of HIV-infected people has decreased over the past four years to nearly 200,000 in 2011.

According to a March 2 conference in Haiphong to review the operation of the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs and Prostitute Prevention in 2011 and put forth its tasks for 2012, Vietnam now has 49,000 living with full-blown AIDS.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted the coordinated efforts of ministries, agencies and localities in preventing AIDS, drugs and prostitution in 2011.

He asked relevant ministries and agencies to effectively implement national strategy for drug prevention, combat and control in Vietnam through 2020, and orientations toward 2030, and promote communication work, especially in hot spots and among high-risk people.
 
Forces should continue campaigns to crack down on drug crime, put on drug prevention action months, and research detoxification models, he said.

Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieutenant-General Pham Quy Ngo pointed out some shortcomings in the fight, citing poor communication as an example.

The management of detoxification and post-detoxification remains poor, while authorities have not effectively cooperated in prevention, he said.

In 2011, the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs and Prostitute Prevention worked well with relevant ministries and agencies such as the Ministries of National Defence and Public Security and the General Department of Vietnam Customs to prevent AIDS, drugs and prostitution.

Nearly 26,700 criminals involved in more than 18,600 cases were arrested by authorities. However, the situation remains complicated with stiff resistance from criminals.

Drug plants are still cultivated in some northern mountain provinces, while cannabis is grown in some southern localities.

VN applauds UNESCO’s initiatives

Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Nguyen Thanh Son, delivered an important speech at the 189 th session of the UNESCO Executive Board on Mar. 1 in Paris , saying that Vietnam is very much in favour of the measures UNESCO is taking to deal with the recent turbulent economic environment.

Of UNESCO’s proposed solutions, Son especially praised the idea of setting up an UNESCO Emergency Fund and other measures proposed by UNESCO’s General Director Irina Bokova to cope with the current difficulties brought about by the global recession and the US cutting its annual payments to the organisation.

Son said that Vietnam supports every move UNESCO makes to be more innovative and cut costs, particularly the future plans that Bokova had recommended previously. He added that reducing budgetary expenditure is essential in the current economic climate.

However, UNESCO needs to maintain efficient and cost effective programmes such as the Biospheres project and the International Network of Geo-parks. This is a chance for UNESCO to review its operations and undertake any necessary improvements as well as reinforcing the global role it plays.

Vietnam supports UNESCO strengthening its relationship with the many National Commissions for UNESCO and suggested tighter mechanisms between the UNESCO Secretariat and the various National Commissions will benefit UNESCO and improve its image with members, said the Deputy Minister.

Son praised UNESCO’s idea of enhancing its partnership with multi-national businesses to carry out its programmes in education and culture more effectively. This will also help UNESCO to access all the strengths and experiences of its partners and help to tackle ongoing and persistent problems.

He said that Vietnam will always stand by UNESCO and share its current financial challenges and is presently about to submit its annual contributions for 2012. He also called for more effort from member countries to support the organisation.

Son then revealed that Vietnam is ready to host the Consultative Meeting of UNESCO National Commissions for the Asia Pacific region in June in Thanh Hoa province. Vietnam sees this as an opportunity to contribute to the organisation as well as spotlighting one of its unique heritages, the Ho Citadel, which was recognised as a world cultural heritage site last year.

Vietnam attends ASEAN Information Ministers conference

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Tran Manh Hung joined other delegates at the 11th conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI 11) in Malaysia on March 1.

Delegates discussed the emergence of new genres of media, especially social media, as important communication and interaction tools within the ASEAN bloc.   

They shared the view that social media is an effective channel for disseminating information, connecting peoples and improving their knowledge of ASEAN and its integration.

They agreed to fully exploit all genres of media, including social and digital media, to effectively deliver the message of building a single and united ASEAN community in 2015 as scheduled, as well as promoting cultural values and identities to the wider ASEAN population.

The Vietnamese representative to the conference, Deputy Minister Hung, stressed that the media has played a crucial role in building a united and dynamic ASEAN bloc, sharing difficulties and challenges, and promoting cooperation for the sake of peace in the region and the world.

He said since joining the grouping, Vietnam has proactively taken part in the regional cooperation process, and made significant contributions to the bloc.  

Vietnam has disseminated up-to-date information about various areas through its print, radio, television and web-based media outlets, and kept pace with other regional countries in information technology and television technology development. It has produced many TV programs broadcast on the ASEAN TV Channel.  

At the event, Vietnam shared other countries’ efforts to increase the media’s role in strengthening solidarity, expanding people-to-people exchanges, and promoting ASEAN’s image to its people.

Myanmar will play host to AMRI – 12 in 2014.