VNA PM wishes closer economic ties with Israel Israel could either import rice, coffee, rubber and other tropical products from Vietnam, or invest to produce products satisfying its taste and take advantage of Vietnam's abundant labour so said Prime Minister Phan Van Khai to Israeli business people at his reception for an Israeli Producers' Association delegation in Hanoi on March 26. The prime minister spoke highly of Israel's scientific and technological development. He said that he wished to see closer co-operation that would benefit both countries. This would include training in information technology, software production, agriculture and bio-technology. Israeli Producers' Association Chairman Oded Tyrah said that Vietnam has potential for economic development and many Vietnamese-made products have won a place in the Israeli and world markets. He said Israel wants to boost co-operation with Vietnam in trade and investment. He briefed the prime minister about his delegation's working sessions with the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry and said they had agreed to strengthen information exchange, thus helping the two countries' business people further understand their potential and co-operate for mutual benefit. (VNA) **** Excellent ethnic students get scholarships Fifteen excellent ethnic minority students from the Central Youth Institute have received scholarships worth VND 400,000 each. Ms Truong My Hoa, National Assembly deputy chairwoman and president of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund presented the scholarships. Ms Hoa has also signed a decision to present 409 Vu A Dinh scholarships to pupils of 43 ethnic minority groups who are learning at the boarding schools in 53 provinces throughout the country. Of these recipients, 80 are from the Central Highlands provinces. Over the past two years, the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund has granted 1,148 scholarships to ethnic minority pupils. The fund is organised by Thieu Nien Tien Phong (Pioneer) newspaper and the Vietnam Milk Company. **** Winners of Youth Union contest awarded The Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union Committee held a ceremony yesterday to present prizes to the winners of the contest entitled '70 years - the glorious historical pages of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.' The contest was launched on November 27, 2000. Nearly 82,000 youth union members participated in the contest. The first prize went to Le Thi Phuong from Trung My Tay Secondary School in district 12; second prize, Duong Thi Dieu Hong, Tay Ninh Teachers' Training College; and third prize, Tran Van Phuong, Ben Tre Teachers' Training College. The first, second and third team prizes went to the city's Department of Education and Training, Go Vap district's Youth Union Committee and the Ministry of Industry's Youth Union Committee. **** Boosting regional air links exploredOfficials from the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines have discussed with their neighbouring counterparts ways to increase civil aviation co-operation, particularly regional air transportation. In an annual meeting held in Phnom Penh recently, aviation officials from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding which underlined closer regional co-operation to enable their airlines to operate more effectively. They also discussed reduction of airport tax and other preferential treatment for passengers of the four countries. They agreed to simplify the procedure of applying for a permit to open new air-routes. Vietnam and the three neighbouring countries held the first of their annual meetings in Hanoi in 1998. (VNA) **** Japan grants US $3.6M for measles controlJapanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ryuichiro Yamazaki and Vietnamese Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Van Thuong exchanged diplomatic notes in Hanoi yesterday on Japan's granting JPY 447 million (US $3.6 million) as non-refundable aid to Vietnam's measles control project. Through the project, the Japanese government will provide Vietnam with 13 million doses of measles vaccine, 11.5 million injection needles for the 2001 immunisation programme, 123,000 medical equipment protection boxes and medical waste incinerators. Vietnam plans to give a second injection of measles vaccine to all 20 million children from nine months to under 10 years old in 61 provinces and cities across the country from now to 2002. Since 1993, Japan has supplied polio vaccines to Vietnam and played an active role in the eradication of polio in Vietnam. (VNA) _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
