VNA National Assembly deputies on May 25 emphasised the urgent need to issue road traffic and fire laws to curb the soaring numbers of traffic accidents and fires. Regarding the draft law on road traffic, a majority of deputies approved the main idea of Article 4 of Chapter I, stipulating that those who violate the traffic law have to take full responsibility in an effort to ensure justice. Some, however, suggested it be added with encouragement of voluntary, not compulsory, financial support to the injured in the humanitarian spirit, even if they have violated traffic laws. Some raised doubts about the feasibility of an article prohibiting the use of street pavements for business because it will hurt thousands of poor vendors in urban areas. A majority of deputies said Item 2 of Article 25 stipulating that the government will decide rules on helmet wearing is realistic. In regard to the Fire Draft Law, sections relating to financial sources for fire prevention and controloperations drew the largest attention. Deputies were of the view that facilities for fire squads were extremely poor and obsolete, often causing them to fail in their efforts to protect the fruits of the national socio-economic development. So, they said, different sources of finance rather than the State budget should be mobilised for fire control operations. Article 43 stipulates that the fire brigade of Vietnam will fight fires at diplomatic corps' residential houses and offices only at requests by heads of the victim's office or the tenants of the burning houses. Some deputies said strictly following the rule might cause heavy losses to nearby homes in cases when those people are away or there is something wrong with the communication facility at the time of the fire. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vice president awarded Ho Chi Minh Order Vice State President Nguyen Thi Binh has been awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order for her contributions to the people and Party's past revolutionary cause as well as the present renovation process. President Tran Duc Luong pinned the Order, the country's second highest distinction, on Ms Binh at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 25. Ms Binh, who was born on May 26, 1927, has become involved in revolutionary activities since 1945. She was known by people inside and outside the country as the foreign minister of the Southern Vietnam Republic Provisional Government during the war against the US, the education minister right after the country's reunification in 1976, and the vice state president since September 1992. The Vice President had already received Vietnam's First-Class Orders for Anti-French and Anti-US Resistance as well as many other awards. She was presented with an Order 'For the Cause of Solidarity with Asian-African-Latin American Nations' and Cuba's Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Order. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ASEM should further co-operation, says foreign minister Asian and European countries should realise more clearly the importance of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and further promote Asia-Europe co-operation, said Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien. Mr Nien, who led a Vietnamese delegation to the third ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Beijing on May 24 and 25, told the meeting that co-operation experiences between Asia and Europe in the past six years together with the constant development of the globalisation process have required ASEM members to boost their co-operation. First and foremost, priority should be given to strengthening economic co-operation in order to overcome the negative impacts of globalisation, narrow the gap in development and digital technology, and accelerate human resources development and poverty reduction, Mr Nien said, adding that these would contribute to establishing economic and political relations of equality and mutual benefit in the world. He said it is time for all ASEM members to carry out the agreements reached at ASEM III. "Vietnam, in its capacity as president of Standing Committee of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a co-ordinator of ASEM, has always attached importance to this issue and will closely co-operate with other ASEM members to strive for these goals," Mr Nien said. He expressed Asia's wish to admit Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to ASEM as soon as possible, saying that the admission would promote ASEM strength for the goal of furthering economic growth on the two continents in the 21st century. While in Beijing, Minister Nien had working sessions with his Chinese counterpart, Tang Jiaxuan, and the foreign ministers of Singapore, Austria, Denmark, Spain, France, and the Republic of Korea and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom. They exchanged views on bilateral co-operation as well as regional and international issues of common concern. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Russian books given to Hanoi Library The Russian Embassy in Vietnam presented 600 book titles to the Hanoi Library on May 24.� They are textbooks and books on Russian literature and history, helping Vietnamese readers have further understanding of the Russian people and culture. The activity was part of 'Moscow Days' in Hanoi. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Non-smoking residential areas to be built Cities and provinces of Hanoi, Haiphong, Tuyen Quang, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, together with the Ministry of Health, will build non-smoking areas on a trial basis. According to the Steering Committee for Control of Cigarette's Harm, meetings will be held in the five above-mentioned cities and provinces during this year's Non-smoking Week, from May 25 to 31. On the occasion, the Ministry of Health, in co-ordination with the Corporation of Post and Telecommunications, issued a 'non-smoking' stamp which features orchids on an ashtray. Scientist warned that with an annual income of US $300 per capita, Vietnam is one of the poorest countries in the world but the smoking rate of men is the highest. A study on over 2,000 people in all three parts of the country shows that the smoking rate of men accounts for 72% and women, 4.3%. Smokers burn about VND 6,000 billion per year worth of cigarettes while the State budget reserved for public health care is only VND 3,700 billion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ IFRC head delegate in Vietnam awarded friendship medal Vietnam has presented its medal "For the Cause of Peace and Friendship among Nations" to John Geoghegan, head delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Vietnam. The medal was handed over by acting president of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), Vu Xuan Hong, in Hanoi on May 25. Speaking at the presentation ceremony, VUFO General Secretary Tran Trong Khanh spoke highly of John Geoghegan's contributions during his term of office in Vietnam. The IFRC and the Vietnam Red Cross (VNRC) have helped many provinces in Vietnam to overcome calamities. They have also helped them to improve social works and public health, as well as taken on the responsibility for training VNRC staff. Since 1998, the IFRC has provided Vietnam with between US $1.5 million and 3 million in aid each year. (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] __________________________________________________
