>PM honours devotion of Heroic Mothers, revolutionaries
>
>Prime Minister Phan Van Khai honoured the devotion, sacrifices and
>contributions made by Vietnam Heroic Mothers and veteran revolutionaries
>during the past struggle for national liberation and current national
>construction and defence.
>
>He was speaking at a reception extended to 73 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and
>veteran revolutionaries from district 6, Ho Chi Minh City in Hanoi on December
>11.
>
>After inquiring after health and living conditions of the Heroic Mothers and
>veteran revolutionaries, Prime Minister Khai briefed them about socio-economic
>achievements recorded after 15 years of implementation of the country's
>renovation.
>
>He also said he hoped that the Heroic Mothers and veteran revolutionaries
>would make more contributions to building a Vietnam of a rich people, a strong
>country and a just, democratic and civilised society.
>
>The Heroic Mothers and veteran revolutionaries expressed their feelings,
>aspirations and happiness at the achievement recorded in the national
>renovation process. They also promised to contribute their efforts and minds
>to successfully implement the Resolution set out by the district's Party
>Committee Congress.
****
>
>Vietnam attends 13th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting
>
>Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, who is also president of the ASEAN
>Standing Committee, is attending the 13th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting which
>opened in Vientiane, Laos on December 11.
>
>The two-day meeting drew foreign ministers from the 10 members of the
>Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ministers of the European
>Union (EU).
>
>In their opening speeches, Lao Prime Minister Sisavat Keobounphan and French
>Co-operation Minister Charles Josselin expressed satisfaction that the meeting
>had been held in the Lao capital on schedule.
>
>Lao Prime Minister Sisavat Keobounphan welcomed the delegates to the
>conference and expressed his thanks for the trust and assistance given by
>members of ASEAN and EU in helping Laos organise the conference. He said that
>the conference illustrated the political ties and mutual understanding in
>ASEAN-EU relations, thus supporting the ASEAN-EU long-term plans to overcome
>the challenges in the new millennium.
>
>The two parties discussed measures to boost co-operation in economics, trade
>and security, and the prospect for ASEAN-EU relations. EU partners were
>informed about the recent changes in ASEAN, particularly the implementation of
>the Hanoi Plan of Action in an effort of building ASEAN into a region of
>peace, prosperity and equal development.
>
>The European Union is the third most important economic partner of ASEAN after
>Japan and the United States, with exports from the EU exceeding US $45 billion
>in 1997. The EU imported goods worth over US $46 billion from the ASEAN in
>that year. However, bilateral trade dwindled somewhat during the Asian
>economic crisis, although it has gradually bounced back in recent times
>through increasing trade and investment.
****
>
>China Party delegation visits Vietnam
>
>A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) led by Zheng Bijian, member
>of the CPC Central Committee and deputy director of the Central Party School,
>is visiting Vietnam from December 10 at the invitation of the Communist Party
>of Vietnam (CPV).
>The Chinese delegation paid floral tributes to President Ho Chi Minh at his
>mausoleum and visited his residence and office.
>
>The delegation was received by Nguyen Duc Binh, Politburo member and director
>of the Ho Chi Minh National Politics Institute on December 11.
>
>Mr Binh, who is also chairman of the Central Party Theoretical Council,
>expressed his appreciation of the exchange of opinions and experiences in
>theoretical and ideological work between the two Parties.
>
>He described it as useful for studying and solving problems arising during the
>process of renovation and open reform, thus contributing to building socialism
>in each country.
>
>Mr Binh reaffirmed that the Vietnamese Party, government and people have
>always attached importance to strengthening and developing the Vietnam-China
>relationship guided by "neighbourly friendship, comprehensive cooperation,
>long-term stability, and future-oriented thinking" as defined by Party General
>Secretary Le Kha Phieu and his Chinese counterpart, Jiang Zemin.
>
>For his part, Zheng Bijian expressed his belief that Vietnam would
>successfully implement the Resolution of the eighth National Party Congress
>and organise the ninth National Party Congress early next year, thus firmly
>entering into the 21st century.
>
>The Chinese delegation also had working sessions with the Party Central
>Committee's Commission for External Relations, the Commission for Culture and
>Ideology, the Ho Chi Minh National Politics Institute, and visited the
>northern border province of Quang Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City. (VNA)
****
>
>British State minister ends visit
>
>The State Minister for the Foreign Ministry of Great Britain and Northern
>Ireland John Battle ended his week-long visit to Vietnam on December 10.
>While here, State Minister Battle paid a courtesy visit to Deputy Prime
>Minister Nguyen Cong Tan, and met with Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien,
>Planning and Investment Minister Tran Xuan Gia, Trade Minister Vu Khoan,
>Finance Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung, Deputy Director of the Party Central
>Committee's Commission for External Relations Pham Van Chuong, and Ho Chi Minh
>City People's Committee Chairman Vo Viet Thanh.
>
>The Vietnamese leaders expressed the hope that Britain would continue
>encouraging investment in Vietnam as well as creating favourable conditions
>for Vietnam's exports to the European Union.
>
>They also welcomed the British Government's new assistance programme for poor,
>remote and isolated areas accords with Vietnam's socio-economic development
>priorities.
>
>State Minister Battle expressed his pleasure at the development of bilateral
>co-operation, especially in investment, trade, culture and education.
>
>However, he said, the achievements had not matched economic potential and the
>intellectual and natural resources of both countries.
>
>He hoped that both would find further measures to expand their relations.
>
>During his talks with Vietnamese foreign minister, State Minister Battle said
>that he appreciated Vietnam's open foreign policy and the country's role and
>contributions as president of the ASEAN Standing Committee and the regional
>forum.
>
>The two countries have agreed to boost the exchange of regular meetings and
>create more conditions for multiform co-operation. (VNA)
_______________________________________________________
KOMINFORM
P.O. Box 66
00841 Helsinki - Finland
+358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081
e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.kominf.pp.fi
_______________________________________________________
Kominform list for general information.
Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics.
Subscribe/unsubscribe messages:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
_______________________________________________________
