Subject: Vietnam News Jan 6 Provincial Party Congresses held Party Committee Congresses have been held recently in localities including Haiphong city, provinces of Thai Binh, Bac Ninh, Hoa Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Vinh Long, Tay Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam attended the Party Committee Congresses of Tay Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong provinces. Meanwhile, Politburo member Pham The Duyet attended the Party Committee Congresses of Haiphong city and Bac Ninh province. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan and Politburo member Le Xuan Tung attended the Party Committee Congress of Thai Nguyen province. Politburo member Nguyen Duc Binh attended the Party Committee Congress of Hoa Binh province. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the Party Committee Congress of Vinh Long province. Politburo member and Minister of Public Security Le Minh Huong attended the Party Committee Congress of Thua Thien-Hue province. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Security forces must remain vigilant, says Prime Minister The public security forces must remain vigilant against, cope with and defeat any attempted sabotage by hostile forces, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai told the third Party Congress of the Public Security Ministry in Hanoi on January 4. He asked the public security forces to maintain a constant high alert to prevent any sudden, unexpected events. He said the public security forces should study and devise an appropriate strategy to ensure international economic integration, national independence and sovereignty, the construction of socialism, the exercise of democracy, ideological, cultural and border security, the protection of national secrets, nationalities and religions, and to prevent "hot spots". They should fully understand President Ho Chi Minh's teaching: "Our public security forces belong to the people, work for the people and rely on the people to work." The Prime Minister said that together with political, ideological and ethic education work, they must constantly improve their qualification and lifestyle, heighten administrative discipline, enhance inspection and timely detect and settle any violations. He emphasised the need to build a contingent of qualified policemen. "Cadre work is a decisive step in making the public security forces pure and firm," he said. The prime minister asked the forces to improve the quality of education and training for their personnel, be strict with transgressors, re-arrange work for unqualified policemen and promote politically aware, ethical and capable cadres with a healthy lifestyle. He also emphasised the need to improve the living conditions of the forces, renew their equipment, and apply scientific and technical achievements in professional work. The prime minister assured the congress that the government would give the public security forces proper attention and that the government would spend part of the Stage budget to build the force in the new situation. In return, the public security forces should effectively manage and use their budget allocations and fight wastefulness and corruption with determination. He asked for a better building of the Party Committee of public security forces, particularly at the grassroots. He said the forces should consider Party building as a key task in building revolutionary, regular, well-trained and modern public security forces of the people. The prime minister said: "The situation in the region and the world will in the immediate future see a trend to peace and co-operation for mutual development that could contain unforeseen elements that might lead to complex developments. "Large-scale war is unlikely but local armed conflict and war, conflicts among nations and religious sects, the arms race, and subversive intervention and terrorist acts may occur here and there. "Hostile forces have made more and more sinister attempts towards our country by trying to stage a peaceful evolution in ideological, political, economic and cultural domains, build up reactionary forces inside the country and create "hot spots" and complicated issues relating to religious and ethnic affairs to cause disorder. "We, therefore, should remain vigilant against and foil any attempt by hostile forces." Prime Minister Khai asked the public security forces to maintain high political stability and social order as a prerequisite for the success of doi moi or renovation. He said: "It is a heavy task that requires the public security forces to co-ordinate with the People's Army and relevant sectors and rely on the people to play an active role in foiling any subversive schemes and acts by hostile forces; maintaining national security, eliminating any elements and conditions that may cause sudden socio-political disorder; and enhancing State management of social order and security in order to promote the strength of the entire political system and the people in the fight against crimes and social vices." (VNA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese diplomats awarded Vietnam has awarded a friendship order and two friendship medals to three Chinese officials in recognition of their contributions to strengthening and developing the two countries' friendship and co-operation. Vietnamese Ambassador to China Bui Hong Phuc on January 5 in Beijing presented the Friendship Order to Fu Hao, former Chinese ambassador to Vietnam, former deputy foreign minister and former chairman of the China-Vietnam Friendship Association (CVFA). The Vietnamese diplomat also presented friendship medals to CVFA Chairman Zhao Dong-wan and former CVFA Vice-Chairman Lu Wei-chao, who worked as a diplomat at the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam. Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Phuc thanked the awardees' contributions to the friendly relations between the Parties, States and people of Vietnam and China. Chang Haosu, vice chairman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with other countries, expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their appreciation of the contributions made by the Chinese diplomats. (VNA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- India attaches importance to relationship with Vietnam India believed the forthcoming visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee important to its relationship with Vietnam, a high-ranking Indian official told a news briefing in New Delhi on January 4. The secretary for economic relations in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, S T Devare, said the visit, scheduled from January 7-10, was the first by an Indian prime minister in the past six years. The visit was intended to boost the special and unique relationship between the two countries fostered by Prime Minister J Nehru and President Ho Chi Minh. During the visit, Prime Minister Vajpayee and Vietnamese leaders will discuss international, regional and bilateral issues, particularly trade relations. Two-way trade turnover reached US $150 million in 2000. (VNA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meeting with Cuban friends held in Hanoi A meeting with Cuban friends to welcome the new millennium was organised in Hanoi on January 5 with the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan, the National Assembly Deputy Chairwoman Truong My Hoa, the Chairwoman of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association Tran Thi Thanh Thanh and other senior officials. The Vietnamese side reviewed the fine sentiments from the Cuban people given to Vietnam in its struggle for national independence in the spirit 'For Vietnam, Cuba is ready to donate its blood' as well as in its national construction and expressed solidarity with and support to the Cuban people's revolution which aimed to take the country on the socialist path. The representatives from the Cuban embassy expressed their thanks to the Vietnamese people for their intimate sentiments and hoped that the friendly relations between the two countries would be further developed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- National Press Award announced Forty media works by individual authors and groups of authors have won the National Press Award 2000. The awarded works have been selected by the Council of the National Journalism Award 2000. Three hundred and sixty six journalism works written by 360 individual authors and groups of authors were sent to the council for consideration. Eighty six of these have arrived at the final round. Members of the council have voted by ballot to select the winners. Of the 40 winning works, there are five A prizes; 14 B prizes and 21 C prizes. The Vietnam Journalists� Association will present the awards to the winners on January 18 at the closing ceremony of Spring Newspapers Festival-2001 at the Vietnam Centre for Exhibitions. KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
