President pushes for stronger Vietnam-Russia oil cooperation

Russia’s energy company Gazprom should work closely with the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to speed up joint projects, says President Truong Tan Sang.

President Sang made the proposal at a reception for Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of Gazprom, Russia's largest company and the world's biggest natural gaz producer, in Hanoi on October 4.

Sang said the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia is developing well, which supports bilateral cooperation in various areas, including oil and gas exploration and exploitation.

He also spoke highly of the recent cooperation between PetroVietnam and Gazprom and hoped their joint projects will reap great success.

Alexey Miller briefed his host on Gazprom’s future cooperation projects with Vietnam and said cooperation with Vietnam is part of the group’s development strategy.

Gazprom supports and creates conditions for Vietnamese oil and gas companies to operate in Russia, he assured his host.

Miller expressed his desire to promote the strategic partnership with Vietnamese companies to supply liquefied gas to Vietnam in the long term.

He said Gazprom will coordinate closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to effectively implement joint projects.

PM Dung receives Russia’s Gazprom CEO

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has promised Russian Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller  Vietnam will do all it can to improve the progress of energy cooperation between the two nations.

At an October 5 reception for his Russian guest, Dung praised results of a recent working session with Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) leaders and the Gazprom CEO, noting energy cooperation is one of the most important pillars in the Vietnamese-Russian strategic partnership.

Dung said the Vietnamese Government is willing to support PetroVietnam’s and Gazprom’s collaboration and wants both sides to implement  the agreed upon cooperation programmes and projects—especially in oil and gas exploration and exploitation—as soon as possible.

He asked Gazprom to lend its resources to cooperation between Vietnamese oil and gas businesses and their Russian counterparts.

Alexey Miller briefed Dung on Gazprom’s major operations and expressed the group’s desire to expand oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in Vietnam.

He also affirmed Gazprom’s willingness to assist Vietnamese oil and gas businesses invest in Russia and to work with Vietnam on liquidised gas and crude oil supplies and personnel training.

President to attend Bali APEC meet

President Truong Tan Sang will attend the 21st Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which will take place from October 6-8 in Bali, Indonesia.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sang was invited by his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Norway praises Vietnam’s achievements

Norwegian King Harald has greatly valued Vietnam’s efforts and achievements in different areas such as coping with climate change and dealing with the consequences of bombs and mines.

At a recent reception in Oslo for Vietnamese Ambassador to Norway Le Thi Tuyet Mai who came to present her credentials, King Harald expressed his delight at the fine development of multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Norway and extended his best wishes to President Truong Tan Sang.

The Norwegian King mentioned his country’s experience in developing the open-door economy and exports, whilst hailing Vietnam’s efforts in promoting trade and economic development in the context of the global economic downturn.

Ambassador Mai conveyed the best regards from President Sang and his wife to King Harald and Queen Sonia and thanked the Norwegian King, Government and people for their valuable support given to Vietnam over the past years.

The Vietnamese diplomat pledged her tireless efforts to further consolidate and develop the friendship and all-round cooperation between the two nations.

PM Dung’s speech at UN receives praise in RoK

Many newspapers in the Republic of Korea in recent days has continued to run articles and comments applauding the speech by the Vietnamese Prime Minister at the general debate of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 27.

An article on the “Egreen” newspaper on October 5 noted that PM Dung’s speech highlighted the importance of building strategic trust, which contributes to consolidating peace and dealing with disputes in the world.

The article also said that taking into account Vietnam’s tireless efforts, it is not accidental when the United Nations chose the country to be one of the eight to implement the pilot “one UN” model. The success of the model over the past years in Vietnam is also a practical contribution to the on-going reform of UN system while serving as a firm foundation for the cooperation between Vietnam and the international body.

Meanwhile, Prof. Son Gi-woong of the Korea Institute of National Unification wrote in his article on the Environment daily that every one shares PM Dung’s viewpoint that all people across the world want to have a safe, peaceful, prosperous and happy life.

Citing the Vietnamese PM’s stance on pollution, the professor noted that the speech reflects Vietnam ’s will to pursue the Green Growth Strategy as a responsible member of the international community.

The International Conference on Foreigners Welfare website (icfw.co.kr) also published an analysis of the Vietnamese Government leader’s address, quoting the conclusion of his speech: “I would like to conclude with the strong conviction that the "Post-2015 Development Agenda" will be developed and finalised for a world free from war and hunger. All for peace and cooperation. For sustainable development and prosperity for humanity. For our ever green planet”.

Day of German Unity marked in Hanoi

The Day of German Unity was celebrated at a meeting in Hanoi on October 4 with the participation of Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang and German Ambassador Jutta Frasch.

Minister Hoang, who is also President of the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association, reviewed the progress recorded in various fields of the bilateral relations, and noted that Germany is always a top EU partner of Vietnam in politics-diplomacy, economics-trade, investment, culture, education, and science and technology.

Hoang affirmed the association will continue its contributions to the building and development of the solidarity, friendship and multilateral cooperation between the two peoples.

Vietnam is proud to be home to the largest German-speaking community in Southeast Asia, he said.

For her part, Ambassador Frasch expressed her hope that the association will have more activities in the time to come to help further deepen the fine relations between the two countries.

Vietnam, Uruguay hold political consultation

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga and her Uruguay counterpart Luis Porto have held the first political consultation between the two countries during Porto’s October 3-5 visit to Hanoi.

They briefed each other on the situation in their respective countries and acknowledged the positive development in Vietnam-Uruguay relations, especially following reciprocal visits by the two countries’ senior leaders.

Porto said the government and people of Uruguay consider Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia and are willing to increase bilateral cooperation, primarily in economics, trade, agriculture, telecommunications and oil and gas.

Nga voiced Vietnam’s resolve to strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation with Uruguay and proposed both sides increase high-level visits and businesses exchanges.

She also proposed Uruguay recognise Vietnam’s full market economy status at the earliest possible time.

They agreed to speed up negotiations and sign a trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA), establish a Vietnam-Uruguay Joint Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation, and finalise legal frameworks to facilitate bilateral economics, trade, and investment cooperation.

Both sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, and agreed to strengthen coordination at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).  

HCM City marks the RoK’s 4345th National Day

A HCM City meeting on October 4 acknowledged the progress made in Vietnam-Republic of Korea relations since the two countries established strategic cooperation partnership in 2009.

RoK Consul General Oh Jea Hack said the partnership reinvigorated cooperation and exchanges of all kinds. The results credit the determined efforts of the two countries’ governments, peoples, and business communities.

The HCM City branch of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations continues to function as a bridge facilitating effective bilateral exchange and cooperation.

The RoK is Vietnam’s fourth largest trade partner. Two-way trade turnover totalled US$21 billion in 2012 and is expected to climb to US$70 billion by 2020.

HCM City exemplifies the economic cooperation between the two countries, home to more than 1,800 Korean businesses and 80,000 expatriate Korean residents.