Vietnam, Spain speed up defence cooperation

Spain is willing to share its experience in UN peacekeeping activities and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance and support Vietnam in these fields.  

Spanish Secretary of State for Defence Pedro Argüelles Salaverria made the pledge on December 2 at his meeting with Deputy Minister of National Defence, Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh during the latter's three-day visit to Spain.

Spanish Secretary of State for Defence Pedro Argüelles Salaverria meets with Deputy Minister of National Defence, Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh (R) during the latter's three-day visit to Spain.

The two activities were among several fields proposed for further cooperation between the two countries suggested by Deputy Minister Vinh.

He also suggested host focus on exchanging delegations at all levels, boosting partnership between strategic research institutes and cooperating in defence industry.

Deputy Minister Vinh noted that Vietnam treasures ties with Spain and wants to increase cooperation with the country, especially in defence, on a par with their strategic partnership.

He said he believes that increased defence ties will actively contribute to strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples and armies, serving each country's interests.

Host Pedro Argüelles Salaverria hailed the Vietnamese officers' visit and expressed his belief that the defence ties will march bilateral strategic partnership.

He stressed that his country considers the implementation of defence cooperation agreements signed with other countries, including that with Vietnam, an important task.

During the visit, Deputy Minister Vinh and his entourage visited some military units.

Houston steps up cooperation with Vietnamese localities

Houston – the US’s fourth largest city- wants to  boost  multifaceted cooperation with Vietnamese localities and become a potential market and partner of Vietnamese businesses, said, Mayor of Houston.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker told at a December 4 meeting with Vietnam’s new Consul General in Texas Nguyen Van Hoa.

Ms Parker expressed hope that MrHoa, in his new position will continue to act as a bridge for promoting Vietnam-US relations as well as between Vietnamese localities and Texas Mayor Parker said that both sides have negotiated the opening of a direct air route between Houston and Vietnam and the sending of Houston’s leading business delegations to Vietnam to learn about its markets,investment and cooperative opportunities.

She highlighted the Vietnamese American community’s contributions in Houston over the years, emphasizing that the community has become a potential human resource for the city’s development and cooperation between Houston and Vietnamese partners. She expressed her wish that the Vietnam’s Consulate General will continue to engage in diplomatic corps activities in Houston and exchange activities with the authorities.

Consul General Nguyen Van Hoa congratulated Mayor Parker on her re-election for a third term and extended thanks to Houston authorities for facilitating Consulate General’s activities. He expressed his desire to further promote comprehensive cooperation between the two nations and agreed  upon  the opening of a direct air route from Vietnam to Houston.

Philippines keen to bolster ties with Vietnam

President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III has said his country is keen on boosting ties with Vietnam in various fields for the mutual prosperity of both countries.

During a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador Truong Trieu Duong who presented his credentials on December 4, President Aquino III said the Philippines treasures ties with Vietnam and sees the country as a brother and an important partner.

The President highly valued the outcomes of cooperation with Vietnam in all fields, appreciating the country’s important role in ensuring food security for the Philippine people.

He thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for the precious support in overcoming impacts of the recent devastating typhoon Haiyan.

Ambassador Duong briefed the President on the current socio-economic situation in Vietnam and the country’s external policies, while reviewing outcomes of the bilateral ties.

He pledged to do his utmost to contribute to further fostering all-round cooperation with the Philippines, especially through the successful implementation of the Vietnam-Philippines Plan of Action for the 2011-2016 period, heading to the establishment of a strategic partnership.

Ukraine’s military procuracy delegation visits Vietnam

Lieutenant General Mai Quang Phan, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army, held a working session with Sreda Grigory Porphirevic, Deputy Head of the Directorate of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, in Hanoi on December 4.

According to Phan, the Vietnamese people and army have always attached importance to developing their sound traditional friendship and cooperation with Ukraine.

The exchanges of delegations representing the two countries’ armies in recent years have opened up cooperation opportunities in military and defence, contributing to strengthening friendship between the two peoples and armed forces, he added.

He said he believes the visit by the top Ukrainian prosecutor will help expand the partnership between staff of the two military procuracy agencies.

Porphirevic said he hopes the military procuracy agencies of Vietnam and Ukraine will strengthen staff training to contribute to consolidating the relations between the two armies.

Vietnam, Ukraine set stronger army connections

Senior Vietnamese and Ukrainian officials have sought closer defence cooperation, especially in experience sharing and realising agreements reached in past visits.

At a working session with Ukrainian Defence Minister Pavlo Lebedev in Kiev on December 4, National Assembly Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son suggested the host ministry offer more scholarships to Vietnamese army officials while sending their officials to Vietnam to take Vietnamese language and professional courses.

According to him, army officials from 18 countries overseas are pursuing these courses.

The legislative leader asked Ukraine to help Vietnam in preparing for its engagement in the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

Vietnam will hold more meetings with Ukraine war veterans who once worked in the country, adding that he hopes for more Ukrainian support in this regard.

Vietnam is always keen to reinforce and expand ties with its traditional friends, including Ukraine, Son noted, adding that high hopes are pinned on their joint work in the future, including national defence and security.

Sharing the same view with his guest, Lebedev said any future bilateral partnership should focus on facilitating visits whereby practical orientations for training and military building will be outlined.

The National Assembly Vice Chairman is making a working trip to Ukraine from Dec. 4-7.

Post-2015 ASEAN Community development path highlighted

A number of proposals on the development of the ASE AN Community beyond 2015 have been offered during a two-day seminar that wrapped up in Hanoi on November 4.

At the event, part of a joint project by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to support Vietnam in enhancing its international integration capacity, participants discussed development directions after 2015 in three community pillars of political and security cooperation, economic integration, and socio-cultural cooperation.

On the post-2015 Political-Security Community development, participants stressed that the bloc should focus on ensuring an environment of peace, security and stability in the region.

ASEAN should continue consolidating intra-bloc solidarity, building trust and effectively deal with both inside and outside challenges, continuing efforts to uphold its central role in the solving of regional matters as well as regional architecture, they said.

Regarding the Economic Community, they stated ASEAN should continue speeding up the building of a common market and stepping up trade facilitation process, making it easier to undertake dialogue with partners.

The association should focus on strengthen economic connectivity among members by enhancing infrastructure, they said, adding that ASEAN should pay attention on sustainable development such as green growth, business responsibility and energy safety.

Additionally, ASEAN should continue strengthening areas directly connecting to people’s interest such as increasing access to social welfare, human development, and climate change and natural disaster response, they claimed.

Participants also gave many practical opinions for the enhancement of the engagement of Vietnam’s ministries and sectors to the policy designing and direction outlining process of ASEAN in the future.

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang joined the 18th conference of member States of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Den Hague, the Netherlands.

In his speech, Quan emphasized that after a long history of war, Vietnam is more than aware of the value of peace and fully supports the abolishment of chemical warfare and global weapons of mass destruction.

The Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Chemical Department has successfully  co-ordinated activities between Vietnam and the OPCW, such as assisting OPCW inspection in Vietnam, engaging in OPCR training courses, finalising amendments to a decree on chemical precursor control and performing obligations of declaration of member states.

The Vietnamese official also congratulated the OPCW on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for its excellent performance in effectively implementing the CWC, since its establishment in 1997.

Somalia and Syria’s involvement in 2013 has increased the total number of the OPCW members to 190, accounting for 98% of global population.

Syrian destruction of a chemical weapon arsenal in 2014 will pose the biggest challenge to OPCW operation yet.

The OPCW executive council and the UN Security Council have made important decisions on the date and conditions for destruction of Syria’s chemical weapon arsenal.

Greetings to Thailand on King’s birthday, National Day

President Truong Tan Sang sent greetings on December 4 to Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the occasion of his 86 th birthday and the National Day of Thailand, which falls the day after.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also cabled a message of greetings and celebration to his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh sent a message to his counterpart Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA