President Sang hails new era of Viet Nam - Singapore partnership

President Truong Tan Sang yesterday (Sept 12) praised the establishment of a strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Singapore which marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

President Truong Tan Sang holds talk with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Ha Noi.

Meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Ha Noi yesterday, the President expressed his optimism for the new partnership, which marks a major development in bilateral relations.

He said he believed co-operation would strengthen in investment, trade, education and cultural pursuits; adding that Singapore's stance on the East Sea issue and the countries' shared experiences in the region had created trust between the two countries.

He urged the two sides to develop detailed plans to implement signed agreements efficiently.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong agreed, saying that he would instruct ministries to build co-operation programmes to implement their bilateral obligations.

He said Viet Nam and Singapore could benefit from further exchange, expressing hope for more delegation exchanges in future.

The same day, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Sinh Hung called for closer links with Singapore - particularly between the two legislatures - on the basis of the strategic partnership.

Hung also suggested the two legislative bodies facilitate visits to share information and professional expertise.

He urged both sides to co-operate at multilateral forums, including the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the World Parliamentary Union; proposing a co-operation agreement between the two legislatures and the establishment of joint parliamentary groups.

The NA Chairman praised Singapore as one of Viet Nam's top trade and investment partners, saying bilateral solidarity would help to build a united and strong ASEAN community by 2015.

Lee Hsien Loong also praised the ascension of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during his visit, saying parliamentary exchanges between both nations would improve inter-governmental co-operation.

Japanese Ambassador awarded peace insignia

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) has granted the insignia “For peace and friendship among nations” to outgoing Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yasuaki Tanizaki.

Addressing the presentation ceremony in Hanoi on September 12, VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong expressed gratitude to the Ambassador for his contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The Japanese diplomat said he was extremely honoured to receive the noble insignia, stating it will stimulate him to continue contributing to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples when he returns home.

During his three-year tenure, Ambassador Yasuaki Tanizaki devoted himself to the two countries’ in-depth strategic partnership in a range of fields such as trade, investment, culture, education and people-to people exchange.

Viet Nam, France aim to raise relations to strategic partnership

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has expressed his hope for Viet Nam and France to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

Prime Minister Dung made the remarks while hosting Christian Poncelet, former Speaker of the French Senate and head of the France-Viet Nam Parliamentary Group, in Ha Noi yesterday.

The Vietnamese Government leader said Viet Nam would focus on enhancing cooperation with France, particularly in trade and investment. He added that the Government would create favourable conditions for French investors with a long-term view to do business in the country.

Poncelet said his visit, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and France, aimed to further cooperation, adding that a strategic partnership would bring benefits for both countries and their people. He pledged that the group would play an active role in nurturing cooperation between the two countries.

New Zealand Deputy PM to visit Vietnam

New Zealand’s Deputy PM cum Finance Minister Bill English will visit Vietnam on September 16-17 to boost bilateral trade and investment ties.

The NZ embassy in Hanoi says English is scheduled to hold talks with Vietnamese Deputy PM Vu Van Ninh and Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung. He will also meet with PM Nguyen Tan Dung and State Bank of Vietnam Governor Nguyen Van Binh.

Both sides will share experience in economic reform, discuss ways to increase bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and examine the progress of regional economic integration, including current negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

English’s visit came hot on the heels of the successful Vietnam visit in August by New Zealand Governor-General Jerry Mateparae.

The two countries have great potential for expanding cooperation in education, agriculture, environmental management, natural disaster risk management, aviation, and tourism.

VN supports Syria weapons proposal

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Luong Thanh Nghi, has said that Viet Nam welcomes Russia's proposal to place Syrian chemical weapons under international supervision.

The spokesman made the remarks yesterday (Sept 12) while responding to queries on Viet Nam's position on the Russian proposal.

"Viet Nam welcomes Russia's proposal made on September 9 and the efforts of the related sides. It is a positive step that will help ease current tensions in Syria."

"We called upon relevant sides to support initiatives to resolve issues in Syria by peaceful means, so that peace and stability can be brought to the people of Syria," he added.

Chairman of the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association makes visit

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai yesterday (Sept 12) welcomed Chairman of the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association, Prachuab Chaiyasan, arriving on a working visit to Viet Nam.

The Deputy PM praised the contribution of the association to the development of bilateral ties between the two countries.

Hai also expressed gratitude for the association's efforts in creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese workers to work and live in Thailand.

He urged the association to co-operate closely with the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association in fostering friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

Chairman of the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association, Prachuab Chaiyasan, informed Hai of the delegation's activities in Viet Nam, saying the organization of programmes celebrating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties would be fast-tracked for completion.

Viet Nam and Thailand are the first ASEAN members to establish a strategic partnership. The partnership was brokered during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to Thailand.

Laos, Vietnam cooperate in ODA disbursement

Laos is keen to cooperate closely with Vietnam in increasing the efficiency of joint projects.

The statement was made by Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavath on September 12 when receiving a Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh.

The Lao leader highly valued the effective operation between the two working groups of Vietnam and Laos.

He thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their valuable support for Laos’ development process over the past decades, as well as its current cause of national construction and poverty reduction to realize the millennium development goals (MDGs).

Deputy Minister Cao Viet Sinh affirmed that Vietnam will help Laos implement 10 official development assistance (ODA) projects in 2013 as agreed by the two countries’ leaders.

Gov't turn to Tony Blair for consultation services

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on a recent article in Britain's Telegraph newspaper on the extent of co-operation between the office of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Vietnamese Government.

"At present, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tony Blair's office are in the process of discussing a suitable co-operation mode between the two sides regarding consultation in socio-economic development policy," a representative from the ministry's Department for Economic Affairs said.

He said that no official agreement has been signed so far.

At the same time, the representative said Viet Nam attaches importance to consulting the opinions of prestigious organisations, experts and scholars around the world during its socio-economic development.

Belarus PM seeking wider economic ties

Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich told Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang that he was optimistic about the prospect of expanding bilateral trade and investment cooperation with Viet Nam.

"Viet Nam would be a door for Belarus to access the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market, while the Eastern European country would serve as a gateway to link Viet Nam with members of the Customs Union," the PM said.

The Belarusian Prime Minister gave a reception to Hoang in Minsk on Wednesday as he was informed about events taking place this week in Belarus to boost the two countries' relations.

They included the tenth session of the Viet Nam-Belarus Intergovernmental Committee for Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technological Cooperation and the Viet Nam-Belarus business forum; as well as the third round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Viet Nam and the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Hoang said these events had helped improve conditions and create a legal framework for businesses to increase bilateral cooperation in trade and investment.

Minister Hoang extended an invitation from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for the Belarusian PM to visit Viet Nam. This follows Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's trip to Belarus in May this year, where the two PMs pledged to lift bilateral trade to US$500 million by 2015.

Current areas of cooperation between the two countries include agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, construction and electronics.

Law makers examine nationwide votes of confidence

The National Assembly Standing Committee members have approved a report from the Committee for Deputies' Affairs, confirming the results

of the votes of confidence conducted by the NA and People's Councils at all levels had been accurate and transparent.

The positions subjected to the vote included those elected or approved by the NA and People's Councils.

According to the report presented at the NA Standing Committee’s September 12 session, of all 47 officials undergoing the vote at the NA, none received more than 50 percent of low confidence votes.

So far, all 63 cities and provinces have completed votes at their respective people's councils, with votes being cast for 907 positions. Statistics showed 689 officials received a high confidence rating by more than 50 percent of the votes, while two saw more than half of the votes giving them low confidence.

The same day, the NA Standing Committee discussed the working schedule for the sixth session of the NA's 13th plenary sitting, which will run from October 21 until December 3.-

Malaysian National Day marked in HCM City

Senior Vietnamese and Malaysian officials said they have high hopes for a stronger friendship and better cooperation between the two countries

for their common prosperity at a ceremony to mark the 56th National Day of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City.

It was stated by Chairwoman of the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-Malaysia Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung and Malaysian Consul General in HCM City Shazryll Zahiran.

Zahiran hailed the considerable development of bilateral links since Malaysia and Vietnam established diplomatic ties in 1973.

According to him, a series of cooperation agreements and a joint statement on comprehensive cooperation in this century has laid the foundation for long-term and steady relations based on mutual trust and respect.

In the face of economic turmoil in the region and the world, two-way trade between Vietnam and Malaysia grew steadily from 4.1 billion USD in 2009 to 7.9 billion USD last year.

Malaysia is now the biggest investor in HCM City, registering 177 projects worth 5.9 billion USD.

Their connections in tourism and education have also fared well.-

Ambassador lauds UNDP’s support to Vietnam

Vietnam’s representative to the UN has praised the support and cooperation that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has

given to Vietnam in building capacity, improving public administration and managing resources through the “One UN Initiative”.

Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Representative Mission to the UN, was speaking at a UNDP meeting on September 11 to announce a report on the agency’s operation from 2008-2012 in the Asian-Pacific region.

The ambassador introduced Vietnam’s achievements in the realisation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG), including the building and implementation of concrete policies and measures for socio-economic development.

Thanks to those efforts, Vietnam has fulfilled most of the goals, the diplomat said, stressing that the country will continue its endeavours in the renovation of its growth model.

He said Vietnam will actively contribute to joint efforts of the international community in building the international development agenda beyond 2015 at the next session of the UN General Assembly.

The announcement of the report is a major activity of the UNDP in the lead up to the UN General Assembly’s 68th session themed “Post-2015

Development Agenda: Setting the Stage”.

The Vietnamese delegation to the event is scheduled to share the country’s experience in fulfilling the MDG towards sustainable development

and make proposals to orientations and measures for the UN’s activities in the coming time.

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