VNA Vietnam-Laos economic ties to be given a boost: President LuongState President Tran Duc Luong said he believed that the economic and commercial ties between Vietnam and Laos would be strongly promoted in the coming years. The president affirmed that the Vietnam-Laos relationship has been firmly preserved and constantly developed over recent years. Mr Luong made these remarks while meeting with Lao Prime Minister Bounyang Vorachith and his entourage in the central port city of Da Nang on Thursday, July 19. Vietnam's president also spoke highly of the talks between the Vietnamese and Lao prime ministers and the documents signed in Hanoi on July 18, which included a credit protocol on the building of Highway 18B linking Vietnam's central area with Laos's southern part. Mr Luong told his guests that Da Nang in its position as a key area in central Vietnam would broaden its ties with Laos's Savannakhet province in all sectors. Mr Bounyang Vorachith conveyed the best regards from Khamtay Siphandon, president of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, to President Luong and said the recent Laos visit by the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee general secretary, Nong Duc Manh, paved the way for closer traditional relations between the two countries. The Lao prime minister and his entourage also visited the Da Nang Industrial Park, Cham Museum and other economic and cultural sites in the city. They were also received by Nguyen Ba Thanh, chairman of Da Nang People's Committee. (VNA) **** PM inspects flood-hit Thai Nguyen PM Phan Van Khai presents gift to flood victims. PM visits Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Plant. Prime Miniser Phan Van Khai and leaders of ministries and sectors concerned paid a working visit to Thai Nguyen province on July 19. Top leaders of the province reported the prime minister on the locality�s socio-economic situation in the first six months and orientations in the remaining months and the plan of action to implement the Ninth Party Congress�s resolution and the 16th provincial Party congress�s resolution. Prime Minister Khai praised the local cadres and people for overcoming difficulties, recording socio-economic achievements. He warned the province to pay attention to State businesses� re-arrangement and technology investment. The prime minister emphasised that Thai Nguyen is a poor province, its industrial, agricultural and forestry production is still small and the locals� income is low. The prime minister suggested the province should shift its economic structure in the direction of paying more attention to market and diversify its agricultural produces to enhance farmers� income. The province should also pay attention to building infrastructure for the revolutionary base and extremely poor communes so that they have the chance to escape poverty. Earlier, Prime Minister Khai visited Can Son village, Trung Thanh commune, Pho Yen district, that suffered the most heavy loss in the recent flood. He visited and presented gifts to the families of Mr Do Van Trung and Mrs Duong Thi Nguyen in Nam Tien commune. He also heard reports of Pho Yen district�s leaders on production situation and local people's life and their measures to overcome the flood consequences. Prime Minister Khai visited cadres, workers and Chinese experts who are helping expand Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Plant on the same day. He said that with its tradition, the plant will successfully complete its targets this year and in the coming years. **** ASEAN meetings to focus on regional stability ASEAN meetings, scheduled to take place in Hanoi on July 23-28, will focus on measures for an ASEAN of unity, stability, integration, and co-operation, said a senior diplomat. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung was talking with local and foreign reporters on July 18. He said that these meetings include the 34th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-34) the meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers and three dialogue partners of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3 Meeting) the eighth meeting of foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF-8) the meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers and ten dialogue partners and each dialogue partner (PMC+10 and PMC+1); and the second ministers' conference on Mekong-Ganges Co-operation (MGC). As a host country, Vietnam will do its utmost to encourage and arrange contacts between ASEAN member countries and their dialogue partners in an effort to promote co-operation between regional and non-regional countries, Mr Phung said. Ministers to the meetings are expected to meet President Tran Duc Luong and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, Mr Phung added. A number of important documents are expected to be passed at these events, including the Hanoi Declaration on narrowing the development gap for ASEAN's closer economic integration, the AMM-34 joint communique, and the ARF-8 president's statement. The ministerial meeting on Mekong-Ganges Co-operation is expected to adopt the Hanoi Plan of Action on the Mekong-Ganges co-operation, as well as action plans on tourism, communication, transportation, human resources development and culture, Mr Phung said. (VNA) **** Sympathy from DPRK PMDemocratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Prime Minister Hong Song Nam has extended his sympathy to Vietnam's flood victims. The message, addressed to Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on July 15, was referring to the recent floods in Vietnam's northern provinces. (VNA) **** State's contributors given care Representatives from Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi, present gifts to Heroic Mother at Mo Lao centre for the elderly. In recent days, many gratitude activities for people and families which contributed great services to the countries during the wartime are taking place nationwide on the upcoming Day for War Invalids and Fallen Soldiers, July 27. The Vietnam Children's Fund, on July 19, granted scholarships and gifts to 242 children of war invalids and fallen soldiers and gifted but poor children of the southern provinces. Units of the Vietnam People's Army volunteered to support 1,346 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and about 9,000 disabled soldiers and families of war martyrs. Quang Nam central province has drawn over 1.5 billion from its budget to support about 79,000 priority policy beneficiaries including Heroic Mothers, families having disabled and fallen soldiers and those benefiting from priority policy. The Labour Federation of Yen Bai northern mountainous province has called on all staff and workers in the province to contribute at least VND 10,000 each to the Gratitude Fund for families benefiting from priority policy. Youth Union member of Thua Thien - Hue central province contributed their money to building five gratitude houses and thousands of working days to building three other gratitude houses for Heroic Mothers and families with great contributions to the country. They also helped 261 families of war invalids and martyrs. Staff and workers of Lao Cai northern mountainous province have contributed VND 229 million to the Gratitude Fund. Long An southern province has invested VND 1 billion to upgrade Vinh Hung district's martyr's cemetery. **** Hanoi Plan of Action reviewed A seminar was held by the Institute of International Relations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on July 19 to review achievements recorded through the implementation of the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA). The seminar, entitled 'Hanoi Plan of Action: Review to Look Towards to Future' was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Dinh Bin and about 40 scholars of institutes for strategic and international research from ten ASEAN countries. Addressing the seminar, Mr Bin reviewed achievements recorded by ASEAN countries in the implementation of the HPA. He also said he hoped that the seminar would make a practical contribution to helping policy making agencies of the association put forth better solutions for regional issues and effectively implement the HPA During the two-day seminar, delegates analysed successes gained during the implementation of the HPA and its affect on the association, each member country as well as to the regional co-operation. They also mapped out new strategies with the aim of fulfilling the HPA's targets, thus being able to successfully implement ASEAN Vision 2020. **** Chess Player hoping for Asian junior gold Chess player Nguyen Thanh Son is now hoping to win the gold medal of the Asian Junior Chess Contest in Teheran, Iran. He defeated seed No7 of the contest, Mahesh Chandran from India in his ninth game on July 19 while his main challenger for the championship, Vankatesh from India, lost to seed No 9, Darban, from Iran. Thanh Son gained eight points after nine games, 1.5 points clear of Vankatesh, with two games to play. One draw will earn the Vietnamese player the gold medal. **** Vietnam, Sweden to boost legal co-operation An agreement on strengthening the building and implementation of law in the 2001-2004 period between Vietnam and Sweden was signed in Hanoi on July 20. The agreement will contribute to promoting the State management through law in Vietnam by improving the capability of the Ministry of Justice in the building and implementation of law. Sweden will provide US $1.5 million for the project. **** Thai military delegation concludes visit A high-level military delegation of the Kingdom of Thailand led by General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, left Hanoi on July 19, ending its official friendship visit to Vietnam. While here, General Chavalit, who is also deputy prime minister and minister of defence, and his entourage met with National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An and Minister of Defence Pham Van Tra. The Thai delegation also visited the National Defence Institute. (VNA) **** Friendship delegation visits Thailand A delegation of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association (VTFA) led by its permanent vice president, Bui Hoan, paid a week-long visit to Thailand, from July 9-17. The guests had a working session with a delegation of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association headed by its president, Somboon Rahong, who is also a former deputy prime minister. They were received by senior officials of the Thai foreign ministry from the province of Sakonna Khon, Udon Thani and Nakhon Phanom. During the receptions, the Vietnamese delegation thanked the Thai government and people for their help to Vietnamese residents in Thailand and hoped that all outstanding problems would be solved in a proper way as soon as possible. The Vietnamese delegation also visited the May village historical site in Nakhon Phanom province, where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked in the late 1930s. Vietnam and Thailand will honour the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic ties on August 6 this 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] __________________________________________________
