VNA
Foreign minister visits France
Vietnam-France relations in political, economic, commercial fields as well
as in investment, culture and science-technology have seen fine development
in recent time and should be expanded for both countries' interests, said
Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien with French senior officials during his
working visit to France from September 17-18.
Mr Nien had working sessions with Co-operation and Francophone Minister
Charles Josselin, paid courtesy visits to Senate President Christian
Poncelet, and met Vice Chairman of the Parliament's Commission for External
Relations and former Foreign Minister Jean-Bernard Raimond, and Chairman of
the Senate's Commission for External Relations, Defence and Armed Forces
Savier Villepin. He also met with Francois Xavier Ortoli, honorary president
of the Movement of French Enterprises.
The Vietnamese foreign minister briefed the French officials of Vietnam's
socio-economic development, its strategy for development and foreign policy.
He expressed thanks to the French government and people for their support
and assistance to Vietnam's national construction and development, stressing
that Vietnam always attaches importance to the relationship with France and
the European Union (EU) as a whole.
The French officials praised the achievements Vietnam made during its
renovation process. They appreciated Vietnam's role as President of the
Standing Committee of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and its successful organisation of the
34th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the eighth ARF and the Post-Ministerial
Meeting in Hanoi last July.
They stressed that France considered Vietnam as a prioritised partner and
would support Vietnam's relations with the EU and its joining the World
Trade Organisation.
President Poncelet said the Senate would further strengthen France's
friendly and co-operative ties with Vietnam. Honorary President of the
Movement of French Enterprises Ortoli said he highly valued Vietnam's
potential for development and said French enterprises would increase their
investment in Vietnam in infrastructure construction, telecommunications,
transport, and the food processing industry.
The French officials expressed their sympathy over losses of property and
lives caused by floods to Mekong Delta provinces and said the government was
considering emergency aid for Vietnam.
Mr Nien and his hosts also exchanged views on issues relating to the
Francophone community and the upcoming ninth Francophone Conference in
Lebanon, and other international and regional issues of mutual concern. The
two sides agreed to further co-ordination with aims to boost the relations
between ASEAN and EU as well as between Asia and Europe. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam meets other parliamentarians on world issues
Vietnam joined 140 member countries of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
and several international organisations at the 106th IPU session held in
Burkina Faso from September 9-14.
Addressing the session, head of the Vietnamese delegation Do Van Tai, member
of the National Assembly's Standing Committee and chairman of its Committee
for External Relations, presented Vietnam's opinions on major world
political, economic, and social issues.
Regarding Vietnam-US relations, he stated that Vietnam's National Assembly
considered the US House of Representatives' approval of the Vietnam-US
Bilateral Trade Agreement as a step to satisfy the two countries' interests.
However, the National Assembly also condemned the House's approval of the
so-called Vietnam Human Rights Act, saying this was a blatant interference
into Vietnam's internal affairs.
During its stay in Burkina Faso, the Vietnamese delegation was received by
the IPU Council Chairman and the Burkina Faso National Assembly chairman and
met other parliamentary delegations. The IPU leaders and parliamentarians
voiced appreciation of Vietnam's contributions to the world parliamentary
organisation and expressed their wish to boost bilateral co-operation with
Vietnam. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Denmark helps train public employees
The Danish government will provide US $2.58 million in non-refundable aid to
a project to raise the training capacity of Vietnam's National
Administrative Institute.
An agreement to this effect was signed in Hanoi on September 18 by
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc, and
Danish Charge d'Affaires Mikael Winther.
The project will assist the National Administrative Institute in organising
high-quality training courses for public employees at all levels and
disseminating information on training activities through ministry-level
training institutions, provincial political schools, and district political
centres.
The project will focus on building training programmes and training key
lecturers for localities. It will also help to improve the capacity of the
beneficiary institute in analysing the State management apparatus and
organising high-level training courses.
The project aims to contribute to the administrative reform process in
Vietnam. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
American opinion against Human Rights Act
The Vietnam-US Association has in recent days received letters and writings,
protesting against the Vietnam Human Rights Act passed by the US House of
Representatives and requesting the US Senate not to pass the Act.
An editorial was written for the Institute for Policy Studies' Foreign
Policy in Focus and the Progressive Media Project by Dr Andrew Wells-Dang.
The author opened his writing by applauding the US House of Representatives
for passing the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, which helps restore
full normal relations with Vietnam after decades of obstruction and delay.
The trade agreement, Mr Dang noted, demonstrates the sustained improvements
in Vietnam's economy, society and foreign relations since the renovation
process, known as doi moi, began in 1986.
He went on to say: "Anyone who has travelled to Vietnam, let alone lived and
worked there as I have, recognises that the pace of change there is
incredibly fast."
"Vietnam is enjoying its first prolonged period of peace since the arrival
of the 19th century French colonialists. From virtual starvation under a
US-led embargo, Vietnam has become one of the world's leading rice and
seafood exporters. In the process, poverty rates have been reduced by
two-thirds," the author noted.
He pointed out that the United Nations Human Development Index classifies
Vietnam as a moderately-developed nation, far ahead of its rank in income
terms. Vietnam is one of the few countries to have adopted national policies
on protecting women's and children's rights. Buddhist temples and both
Catholic and Protestant churches are open and rapidly attracting new
members.
Mr Dang added that the local press prints a variety of opinions and
Communist Party membership is no longer a prerequisite for advancement in
society or membership in the National Assembly. In early June, the National
Assembly undertook an unprecedented public questioning of government
ministers and policies, broadcast live on national television.
"Unfortunately, none of this wider context emerges in the constrained
Congressional debate around the Vietnam Human Rights Act. Vietnam's die-hard
political opponents, including extreme segments of the Vietnamese-American
community, continue to feed incomplete or erroneous information to members
of Congress. Civil and political rights, particularly religious freedom, are
their preferred targets," the author cited.
He quoted words by Lady Borton, an American writer with years of experience
in Vietnam, as saying that the bill's provisions use 'human rights' and
'democracy' to set ethnic group against ethnic group to reopen the exodus of
'refugees', and to dampen the opening process that many people have worked
for years to build.
The author further noted that Vietnam does have many problems but not
necessarily the ones the Congress is focusing on. He recommended the United
States to help Vietnam solve problems such as corruption, economic disparity
between urban and rural residents, smuggling and trafficking, AIDS, and drug
abuse through co-operative assistance in rural development, poverty
alleviation, small business development, legal and human rights training.
He went on to say: "These are exactly the forms of aid that the House seeks
to restrict. The 'Human Rights Act' conditions most official assistance to
Vietnam on US-set external guidelines that Vietnam must meet. Meanwhile,
funding is channelled to exile groups, some of them possibly involved in
terrorist activities, who need meet no conditions at all."
The author concluded his editorial by calling on the US Senate to carefully
consider the context before approving any part of the House bill into law.
Its passage would be "shameful" in light of the openings already underway
toward trade and reconciliation between the two countries. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam protests against US Human Rights Act
The so-called Vietnam Human Rights Act passed recently by the US House of
Representatives has met with a strong wave of protest from mass
organisations and localities in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Elderly Association has issued a statement vehemently protesting
against and rejecting the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' by the US
House of Representatives. The statement said, "the US House of
Representatives, on September 6, passed the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights
Act,' which ignores the truth, distorts the real situation in Vietnam,
brazenly interferes into the internal affairs of a sovereign nation, runs
counter to the United Nations Charter and seriously hurt the patriotism and
the sense of national dignity of the Vietnamese people."
"It is the US that caused the cruellest and most inhuman aggressive war in
the US history against Vietnam. The US brought troops, bombs, weapons and
even toxic chemicals to destroy cities, villages and the environment in
Vietnam, trampling upon the fundamental rights of the Vietnamese people,
leaving serious and far-reaching consequences for the people and land of
Vietnam. We call for other elderly associations in the world and in the US
to request the US Congress to abrogate the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights
Act' and the US House of Senate not to pass the above-mentioned wrong Act."
* The War Veterans' Association of Quang Ninh province held a meeting to
condemn the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act.' The delegates held that
with the approval of the Act, the US House of Representatives expressed its
dark scheme, availing itself of the use of the issues of human rights,
religion and nationality to slander the Vietnamese State and Party, taking
it as a pretext to prevent the implementation of the Vietnam-US Trade
Agreement.
They called on progressive US people and war veterans, the US president,
government and US House of Senate to halt the approval of and promptly annul
this unjust Act.
* The War Veterans' Association (WVA) in Hung Yen province issued statements
denouncing the so-called Vietnam Human Rights Act on September 18.
In their statement, the Hung Yen province's war veterans expressed their
indignation over the act, which interferes in Vietnam's internal affairs and
violates the United Nations Charter and fundamental principles of
international laws.
* A statement issued by the Federation of Cities' Friendship Organisations
and Vietnam - US Friendship Association of Da Nang central city expressed
their deep discontentment and vehemently protest against the approval of the
'Vietnam Human Rights Act'. The US caused the cruellest and most inhuman war
of aggression against the Vietnamese nation, inflicted untold sufferings,
with serious and far-reaching consequences on Vietnam. The Vietnamese people
are willing to put the past aside, look toward the future and are
implementing many friendship activities to strengthen mutual understanding
between the two countries; they are willing to be a friend and trustful
partner of all countries, for peace, friendship, co-operation and
development.
"In that spirit, we would life to call on all organisations, individuals and
the US progressive people and political circles to protest and prevent the
approval of this wrongful Act," the statement continued.
* More than 400 women, representing 2.5 million women in Ho Chi Minh City,
held a meeting on the morning of September 19, to condemn the so-called
Vietnam Human Rights Act passed by the US House of Representatives earlier
this month.
The women described the Act as a dark plot which interferes with Vietnam's
sovereignty and independence. They affirmed their determination to protest
against any attempt to trample on Vietnam's independence and freedom.
They also expressed their sympathies to the American people and families of
victims over the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11.
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