VNA General secretary re-affirms policy towards SingaporeVietnam Communist Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu has reiterated that Vietnam's policy towards Singapore and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is unchanged and is intended to boost peace, stability and co-operation in the region and the world. The general secretary was speaking to visiting Singaporean President S R Nathan in Hanoi on February 8. He reaffirmed that Vietnam attached importance to boosting multi-form co-operation with Singapore and expressed his thanks for its co-operation and help. He also thanked President Nathan for his invitation to visit Singapore and accepted it with pleasure. The Singaporean president affirmed his country's policy of strengthening his country's multi-sided co-operation with Vietnam. (VNA) PM thanks Singapore for training helpPrime Minister Phan Van Khai has thanked the Singaporean government for its help in training personnel in banking, finance, business management, administrative management and vocational training. He told visiting Singaporean President S R Nathan in Hanoi yesterday about the fine development of the two countries' co-operation in investment, trade and training. The prime minister said Vietnam valued Singapore's economic potential and experience in information technology development. He hoped for the Singaporean government's help in personnel training in information technology and software to Vietnam and other ASEAN countries. He briefed President Nathan about Vietnam's socio-economic development, relations between Vietnam and AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) and APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum), and negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He said he wished for the two countries to closely co-operate at regional and international forums. The prime minister said that he hoped the Vietnam visit by President Nathan would open a new page in the multi-form development between the two countries and boost the development of co-operative relations among ASEAN countries. President S R Nathan affirmed Singapore's intention to share experience with Vietnam and wished the country well. Also the same day, President S R Nathan and his entourage laid flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and visited the Temple of Literature, the Army Museum and the Fine Arts Museum. President Nathan and his wife also visited and presented gifts to children in Hanoi SOS village and made a tour of Hanoi's ancient quarter. (VNA) British MPs visit VietnamTen parliamentarians from Britain's Parliament's Committee for International Development are on a visit from February 5-10 to inspect Vietnam's socio-economic situation and British aid activities in the country. The parliamentarians were received by chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly's Committee for External Relations, Do Van Tai yesterday. Mr Do Van Tai thanked them for Britain's help to Vietnam, especially non-refundable aid. He introduced the guests about the country's socio-economic development and Vietnam's foreign policies. He expressed wishes that Vietnam-UK friendship and co-operation would be further developed. The British guests expressed joy at achievements in Vietnam and expressed their opinion about issues of their concern. (VNA) Protestant General Council holds congress The General Council of the Vietnam Protestant Church in the south opened its first congress in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday. It was attended by 482 dignitaries and believers and 278 guests. Also present were Professor Le Quang Vinh, director of the Government Board for Religious Affairs; Tran Dong Phong, member of the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee; Tran Thanh Long, president of the Ho Chi Minh City VFF Committee; Nguyen Ngoc San, director of the municipal Board for Religious Affairs; and representatives of other religions. The two-day congress is to pass the Church's new charter compiled on the basis of the previous charters, respecting national tradition and social life in conformity with Vietnam's Constitution and laws. The congress will also discuss the orientation and plan for religious practice and regulations for the Church's operation under the guideline of 'Living of the gospel amidst the nation.' It will elect an Executive Board for the General Council. (VNA) Chinese defence minister visitsChinese Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Chi Haotian, his wife and several officers of the Chinese army arrived in Hanoi yesterday morning, beginning an official visit to Vietnam. The visit is being made at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Pham Van Tra. A welcoming ceremony for Senior Lieutenant General Chi Haotian was held the same day at the Defence Ministry's Guest House. The ceremony was attended by Senior Lieutenant General Pham Van Tra, who is also member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)'s Politburo and deputy secretary of the CPV Central Military Commission, senior officers of the Vietnam People's Army, and Chinese Ambassador Qi Jianguo. After the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Chi Haotian, who is also deputy chairman of the Communist Party of China's Central Military Commission and State Councillor, was received by Senior Lieutenant General Pham Van Tra. The Chinese army delegation led by Minister Chi Haotian held talks with a delegation of the Vietnamese army delegation led by Minister Pham Van Tra. The delegations briefed each other about situations in their countries and exchanged views about issues of mutual concern in order to strengthen friendship between the two armies and peoples. In the evening, Senior Lieutenant General Pham Van Tra hosted a party in honour of Senior Lieutenant General Chi Haotian and his entourage. (VNA) Security returns to normal in Central HighlandsSecurity and social order has been restored in the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak, report resident Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents. They say that the restoration of order in Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot and some other places of the two provinces had been necessary after residents were given misleading information about the arrest of two minority people. The correspondents say that a number of residents from different localities gathered outside the offices of the provincial Communist Party and People's Committees in Pleiku to demand the release of the arrested duo on January 29 and present petitions asking the administration at all levels to solve burning questions of land use. The correspondents say provincial Party and People's Committees sent officials to explain to the local residents that the two had been arrested for violating the law and inciting division among the national-unity bloc. They were freed immediately after signing a document conceding their violations and asking for leniency. The two then addressed local residents outside the offices of the Party and People's Committees and told the truth about their wrong doings and explained that they had been freed. Provincial officials then explained Party and State policy governing the use of land and listed their achievements in consolidating the national unity bloc and boosting socio-economic development in not only the province but also the entire Central Highlands. After hearing the explanation, the crowd dispersed and returned to their residences. Incidents were also reportedly caused by petitioners in Buon Ma Thuot town and some other parts of Dak Lak province between February 3-6. Although small, they affected security and social order, caused traffic congestion and hindered children going to school. Most of the petitioners were minority people misled about the situation in Pleiku and incited by extremists. Several extremists took the opportunity to destabilise security and social order and attack those who were on duty. They damaged administration offices at hamlet, commune and district levels, causing property losses and destablising social order. The local Party Committees, the administration and mass organisations met with the petitioners and persuaded them to return to their hamlets and engage in production and asked that they not allow the extremists to incite them to destabilise security and social order or undermine the national unity bloc. The correspondents say most local people were discontented with the extremist action and the disorder created by ill-intentioned people to destabilise local social order and security and sow division among the people. They also demanded punishments of the extremists and agitators. At present, the Party Committees, the administration and mass organisations at all levels in Gia Lai and Dak Lak provinces are taking measures to ensure security and social order. They are also acting to ensure that the law is enforced; encourage the local minority people to boost economic, cultural and social development, improve their lives and help consolidate the national unity bloc. All this is to enhance the revolutionary tradition of the Central Highlanders; ensure the renovation process is successful and make the Central Highlands more prosperous and beautiful. (VNA) US servicemen's remains returnedThe remains of four American servicemen listed as missing in action were given to the US Full Accounting Joint Task Force by representatives of the Vietnam Office Seeking Missing Persons in Hanoi yesterday. The remains were found by joint Vietnamese-US teams during the 63rd joint search for MIAs from October 30-November 28, 2000 and underwent primary forensic tests in Hanoi by both US and Vietnamese scientists. The return of the remains means that Vietnam, since 1973, has returned 81 batches of American MIA remains, accounting for 779 servicemen killed in action in the American war. The US government representative thanked Vietnam and praised its humanitarian policy and effective co-operation in the search for American MIAs when the remains were returned. (VNA) Party's founding anniversary marked in France The Vietnamese Embassy in France held the 71st founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3) on February 6. Addressing the ceremony, charge d' affaires ad interim to France, Van Nghia Dung, reviewed the glorious history of the Vietnam's Communist Party over the past 71 years. Vietnamese people working and studying in France expressed their gratitude to the Party and Uncle Ho who had helped the Vietnamese nation extricate themselves from slavery and rise up to master their own destiny to enjoy a life of freedom and happiness. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
