VNA NA ninth session closesThe tenth National Assembly, NA, closed its ninth session in Hanoi on June 29 after more than one month of sitting. The NA passed the Law on Amendment and Supplementation to some Articles of the Land Law, the Road Traffic Law, the Fire Prevention and Fighting Law, the Customs Law, and the Cultural Heritage Law during the session. NA deputies discussed the draft Law on Amendment and Supplementation to some Articles of the Criminal Litigation Code and gave comments on the Social Insurance Law and the Law on Amendment and Supplementation to some Articles of the Labour Code. Also during the session, the NA studied the government's supplementary reports on the results of implementing socio-economic and State budget tasks in 2000 and the first four months of 2001 and on steps to be taken to fulfill those tasks in the remaining months of the year. NA deputies heard reports by the NA Standing Committee and the Council of Nationalities and other Committees of the NA, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuracy. They also reported on the settlement of voters' petitions and heard Cabinet members' interpellation, adopted resolutions on principles to build the Son La Hydro-electric Plant, and formed an ad-hoc Committee to amend and supplement some articles of the 1992 Constitution. The NA elected a new chairman and approved the appointment of several government members. Closing the session, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An noted that positive changes had been made in implementing yearly targets in the past six months, stabilizing the socio-economic situation. He said that the gross domestic product (GDP) was higher than that of the corresponding period last year, industrial and agricultural production continued to grow, services continued to improve, and foreign direct investment continued to increase. The chairman admitted that the economy developed unsteadily with a low competitive edge. He, therefore, pointed to measures to be taken in the coming period to help the economy continue its upward trend: "The National Assembly basically agrees with the six groups of measures as proposed by the government. The National Assembly also stresses the continued exploitation and development of internal resources and capabilities of all economic sectors; the acceleration of economic re-structuring; and the development of highly-competitive products and outlets. "Immediate support should be given to farmers in order to help them overcome difficulties in selling farm produce, and to the re-structuring of production to make it more suitable with market demands. "Streamlining and renovating State-owned enterprises should be accelerated while removing difficulties and creating favourable conditions for enterprises to boost production and business operations. "Investment should also be increased for the renovation of technology for industrial and agricultural production with a view to raising the competitiveness of domestic products while seeking ways to expand markets. "It's necessary to readjust the structure of investment and increase investment from State budget allocations and credits; to rectify the running of the State budget and banks and at the same time to increase savings and exercise stricter control of State budget revenues and spending." (VNA) **** Chinese NA chairman meets VNA general director Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress, Li Peng, received in Beijing on June 28, a delegation of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) led by General Director Ho Tien Nghi. The visit is being made the invitation of the President of China's Xinhua News Agency, Tian Congming. Li Peng told his guests that the success of the Ninth National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam showed the country's steadiness in national renovation process and socialist construction. He affirmed China's continued determination to build a socialist country with Chinese identity. The Party, State, and people of China have always attached great importance to comprehensive co-operation with Vietnam, he stressed. The two countries' Parties, National Assemblies, governments and social organisations should expand the exchange of visits with the aim of further promoting their friendship and co-operation, thus bringing both countries' relations to a new plane. The Chinese host expressed his delight at the unceasing development of co-operation and mutual assistance between VNA and Xinhua in recent years. He stressed that their ties contribute to mutual understanding, friendship, and co-operation between the two Parties and States. (VNA) **** Hanoi Women�s Union marks Family Day The Hanoi Women�s Union held a seminar on the role of women in building a happy and civilised home to mark the Vietnam Family Day, June 28. Reports from women scientists at the seminar highlighted the vital role of women in the organisation of family life and in building a happy home. Many reports dealt with the role of women in preserving Vietnamese traditional family values, the role of the Women�s Union in women�s development, extended families, social impact on family education and how to be a good wife, good mother and good woman. Participants talked about their own experiences in child education and maintaining a happy family in an extended family environment. **** Water levels rising in northern rivers The water levels in the Thai Binh, Cau, Thuong and Luc Nam rivers are rising. The water level of the Luc Nam river was measured at 5.38 metres at 7pm June 28, 0.42 metres below warning level 3 and is expected to rise. Meanwhile, the Thai Binh river�s water level in Pha Lai is forecast to exceed warning level 2. Due to low air pressure, there were rains in the northern and north-eastern provinces. This is responsible for the water rising in the rivers. **** Traffic accidents still high As many as 12,366 traffic accidents were reported in localities nationwide in the first six months, killing 5,022 and injuring 14,101, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communication. These numbers were seen to be higher than the same period last year, by 3.6% in cases, 28.1% in deaths and 7.1% in injuries. The average death rate in the first six month was estimated at over 27 people per day. A total of 850 deaths was reported in February this year in comparison with 732 in 2000. Of these, road and rail accidents accounted for 97% of the cases, 95% of the deaths and 99% of the injuries. Motorbike accidents reached 72.3%, an increase of 7.3% over the same period last year due to the increasing number of this kind of vehicle. Most of the accidents were caused by the drivers (77.22%), including 33% through speeding and 26.8% through illegal overtaking. **** Seven sentenced to death in Ha Tinh drug trial The Supreme Court of Ha Tinh central province declared seven death sentences against Hoang Van Thinh, Le Van An, Nguyen Khac Hung, Le Van Hanh, Ha No Vu, Nguyen Tien Dung and Bui Van Tuy on June 28. The court, which opened four days ago, also imposed nine life imprisonments, 12-20 years in prison on others and fines of VND 5-200 million on these defendants. The court questioned 16 defendants accused involvement in the drug trafficking and counterfeit dollar circulation uncovered by the anti-drug force of Ha Tinh province. Most of the defendants admitted their crimes, except some, such as Nguyen Van Ninh and Le Ba Phuong who tried to deny their involvement, especially Le Ba Phuong who obstinately denied to having bought five cakes of heroin from Nguyen Khac Hung. Nguyen Khac Hung changed his confessions after the interrogating session. He admitted to having sold five cakes of heroin to Le Ba Phuong contrary to what he said in the appeal and the first instance courts. So this matched with the conclusion at the first instance court. Representative of the People's Supreme Procuracy remarked that all the sentences were correctly judged. **** Vietnam urges lifting embargo on IraqSpokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry Phan Thuy Thanh on June 28 expressed Vietnam's support for a full lift of the current embargo against Iraq. Ms Thanh said "The embargo over the past 11 years has caused a humanitarian nightmare in the Iraq. Consequently, more than 1 million people have died, mostly women, children, and the elderly. Public projects for daily life such as electricity, water supply, schools and hospitals have deteriorated seriously. "Vietnam advocates a total lifting of the embargo so that the Iraqi people may enjoy a normal life like other nations in the world," the spokeswoman emphasised. Ms Thanh made the statement in response to the Radio Voice of Vietnam's question about Vietnam's stance on the United Nations' on-going discussion about the embargo. (VNA) **** Fishermen save 21 Indonesian seamenTwenty one of the 22-strong crew of a sunken Indonesian ship have been rescued by Vietnamese fishermen off Truong Sa archipelago, central Khanh Hoa province. One was reported missing. The Gosilla ship of Indonesia sank at around the midnight on June 20 in the southern waters of Truong Sa islands on its way to Vietnam. Crews on four Vietnamese fishing boats operating nearby immediately came to rescue the victims as they noticed the accident. The 21 rescued Indonesians have partially recovered and are under good care by Khanh Hoa authorities and people. What actually caused the ship to sink has not yet been determined. Officials of both Vietnam and Indonesia are working together to resolve the situation. (VNA) **** Vietnamese students leave for maths, physics olympiadsVietnamese students have left the country for the 2001 international maths and physics olympiads. Five students will take part in the International Physics Olympiad held in Turkey from June 28-July 6. They are Vu Khanh Tung, Nguyen Bao Trung, Do Chinh, Dang Ngoc Phuong, and Bui Le Na, all from Hanoi's schools. Six students will compete at the International Maths Olympiad to be held in the United States from July 1-14. They are Nguyen Hoang Dung, Vu Ngoc Minh, Tran Khanh Toan and Le Anh Vinh from Hanoi; Le Dinh Hung from central Thanh Hoa province, and Nguyen Anh Quan from northern Haiphong port city. Six other students are in Moscow to attend the International Russian Language Olympiad, being held from June 25-30. Four others will take part in the International Information Technology Olympiad in Finland from July 14-21; five in the International Chemistry Olympiad in India from July 6-15; and four in the International Biology Olympiad in Belgium from July 6-18. (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] __________________________________________________
