Indian PM ends visit Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee yesterday
ended his official Vietnam visit during which the two countries signed
protocol extending their cultural co-operation programme to 2003, a
memorandum of understanding for nuclear energy co-operation for peaceful
purposes and a tourism agreement.
During his the four-day stay, the Indian Prime Minister paid courtesy visits
to the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Le Kha Phieu,
and President Tran Duc Luong and held talks with Prime Minister Phan Van
Khai. Mr Vajpayee and his delegation also had meetings with General Vo
Nguyen Giap, Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, and Defence Minister Pham Van
Tra.
At these meetings, the Indian prime minister discussed with Vietnamese
leaders issues on bilateral and multilateral relations and regional and
international issues of common concern.
They focused on measures to further economic, commercial and investment
links, particularly co-operation in science, technology, education and
training, health care and agriculture, between the two countries.
Mr Vajpayee also met with Vietnamese and Indian businessmen and
representatives of the Vietnamese youth delegation, which is to take part in
the Vietnam-India cultural exchange programme in the year 2001.
Before leaving Hanoi, Mr Vajpayee and the other distinguished Indian guests
paid floral tributes to President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum and visited
his office and stilt house. (VNA)
Relief aid provided to disaster-hit provinces
The Steering Committee for Provision of Relief Aid to Flood and Storm-hit
Areas under the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs spent
another VND 7.6 billion more supporting twenty provinces stricken by natural
disasters.
They include Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Bac Can, Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh,
Quang Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Tay Ninh, Long An, Dong
Thap, An Giang, Tien Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Vinh Long and Soc Trang.
The money is used to buy rice and food for poor households during the lunar
New Year (Tet) festival and prevent hunger in the between-crop period after
Tet.
Tet gifts presented to country's contributors
The southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau spent VND 5 billion buying Tet
(lunar New Year) gifts for families of priority policy beneficiaries, those
who rendered great services to the revolution and Vietnamese Heroic Mothers.
The provincial Party Committee, the People's Committee and the Fatherland
Front sent delegations to visit several families of priority policy
beneficiaries and Heroic Mothers.
Of the above said money, VND 1.5 billion is to buy rice for poor people,
each with 20 kilograms and to provide some social beneficiaries at the
provincial Social Sponsoring Centre, each with VND 75,000 for their Tet
meals.
The People's Committee of Quang Nam province provided its people in
disadvantaged areas and border guards with more than 600 tonnes of rice. The
province also reserved VND 10 million for Tet gifts to social beneficiaries
and orphans. In addition, the districts' administration of the province
provided rice and seasoning to people in special difficulties.
The provincial People's Committee spent VND 2.5 billion for Tet gifts to
families of priority policy beneficiaries. It also sent delegations to visit
Convalescent Homes for War Invalids, Military Hospital 17 and the General
Hospital.
New border gate opens
A ceremony to open the Cha Lo-Na Phau international border gate was held on
January 10 by the authorities of Quang Binh province of Vietnam and
Khammouan province of Laos.
Present at the ceremony were representatives of the government, relevant
agencies of Vietnam and Laos and the two provinces of Quang Binh and
Khammouan.
The Cha Lo - Na Phau international border gate was jointly built by Vietnam
and Laos in order to link the commercial corridor from Vung Ang sea port-the
Ho Chi Minh Trail-National Highway 1A in Vietnam to the central Laos,
north-eastern Thailand, Myanmar and Yunnan province of China.
Spring Newspaper Fair to be held
The Vietnam Journalists¹ Association held a press conference yesterday in
Hanoi to inform the holding of the National Spring Newspaper Fair 2001 at
the Vietnam Fair-Exhibition Centre in Giang Vo, Hanoi, from January 15-18.
The fair is entitled �Spring Newspaper Fair 2001 Welcomes the Coming Ninth
National Congress of the Vietnam Communist Party and Vietnam¹s Press
Continues its Reform to Firmly Enter the 21st Century.¹ It will be the
biggest ever event of its kind, attracting the participation of about 300
newspapers and magazines nationwide. The fair is aimed to highlight the
achievements of Vietnam¹s press in the renovation period and affirm its
determination to further reform to serve the national renovation.
Twenty stands will be displayed at the fair, featuring the overview of the
press of Vietnam in general and of the Central Committee of Vietnam
Communist Party and press of sectors, people¹s armed forces, Hanoi, Ho Chi
Minh City and online publications.
The Vietnam Journalists¹ Association will present prizes to excellent
articles and New Year publications at the closing ceremony due to be held on
January 18.
Other activities such as newspaper and magazine contests, exchanges and
cultural performances will also be held during the fair.
Cities and provinces nationwide also plan to organise local newspaper fairs.
Vietnam respects Thai voteVietnam respects the result of last week's
election by Thai voters, said Phan Thuy Thanh, spokeswoman of the Foreign
Ministry.
Ms Thanh was answering an AFP correspondent's question yesterday about
Vietnam's reaction to the result of the Thai House of Representatives
election.
She said: "We respect the Thai voters' choice in their recent election and
hope that the new government of Thailand will continue the policy of
developing co-operative and friendly relations between Vietnam and Thailand
for the interests of the two peoples and for peace, stability and
co-operation in the region." (VNA)
Vietnam, US sign MoU on meteorology
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical co-operation in meteorology
and hydrology between Vietnam and the United States was signed in Washington
on January 9.
Signatories were Director General of the Hydro-Meteorological Service of
Vietnam Dr Nguyen Cong Thanh and Director of the National Weather Service
under the US Department of Commerce John Kelly.
Vietnamese and US representatives stressed the two countries' potential for
co-operation in meteorology and hydrology, particularly in weather forecast,
and preventing and overcoming the aftermath of floods and natural
calamities.
The MoU is the first step of materialising the Vietnam-US agreement on
scientific and technological co-operation signed during US President William
Jefferson Clinton's visit to Vietnam in November 2000. (VNA)
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