VNA
Vietnam, China to enhance comprehensive ties Vietnam and China will strengthen comprehensive bilateral co-operation, affirmed Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and Chinese President Jiang Zemin during their meeting in Shanghai on October 19. Mr Khai arrived in Shanghai the same day to attend the ninth APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Economic Leaders Meeting on October 20 and 21. He conveyed Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh's and President Tran Duc Luong's best regards to President Jiang Zemin who is the general secretary of the Communist Party of China. He also conveyed Mr Manh's and Luong's invitation for the Chinese leader to visit Vietnam. Mr Khai said that Vietnam and China will boost their comprehensive co-operation for a two-way trade value of US $5 billion in 2005. Vietnam congratulated China on its joining into the World Trade Organisation, considering it an important event for China, Mr Khai said, adding that, this would help Vietnam approach the large, potential market of China. He expressed his high appreciation for China's careful preparations for the APEC Ministerial Meeting and the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting and his hope that the meetings will be successful. The Vietnamese Prime Minister spoke highly of Chinese leaders' historic and important contributions to boosting the Vietnam-China relations with the signing of a joint statement, a border-land treaty, an agreement on demarcation of the Tonkin Gulf, and an agreement on fisheries co-operation, thus enhancing mutual trust and creating conditions for the building of a border-line of peace and long-lasting stability between the two countries. President Jiang expressed his joy at receiving Prime Minister Khai and seeing Vietnam's achievements in its on-going renovation process. He said he believed that China and Vietnam, which have been bound by traditional time-honoured relations, shared many similarities and both carried out political reform and openness, would strengthen their comprehensive co-operation. Both countries have effectively conducted economic projects, including the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Complex and the Ha Bac Nitrogenous Fertiliser Plant, and would continue to expand co-operation in the joint venture form, Mr Jiang stressed. He said the two nations should boost bilateral economic and commercial co-operation to reduce declines in national and regional economies that have been adversely affected by the September 11 terrorist attack on the US. Mr Jiang thanked Mr Khai for his appreciation of socio-economic development in China, and expressed his delight at Vietnam's economic growth after the ninth congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He was pleased to say that Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, Li Peng, was warmly received by the Vietnamese Party, National Assembly, and government leaders during his visit to Vietnam in September of this year. The Chinese president asked Prime Minister Khai to convey his best regards to Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, President Tran Duc Luong, and other leaders of Vietnam. Mr Jiang and Mr Khai came to an agreement that the ninth APEC Economic Leaders Meeting will leave fine impressions, offer important initiatives on the basis of consensus and in conformity with development of APEC members. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Russia to boost co-operation with Vietnam: President Putin Russia will continue to develop its comprehensive co-operation with Vietnam though it will withdraw from Vietnam's Cam Ranh sea port in January of 2002. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this to Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in Shanghai, China, on October 19. The two leaders are in China to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting from October 20-21. President Putin thanked the Vietnamese government and people for their special sentiments given to him during his Vietnam visit in March of this year. He said Vietnam and Russia have solid foundations to develop co-operation in economy, trade, and training, especially in the fields that Russia is strong in such as energy, oil and gas, hydro-electricity, and nuclear power, adding that Russia will do its best to create favourable conditions for the Vietnam-Russia oil and gas joint venture, Vietsovpetro, to operate effectively. He also agreed to assist Vietnam in its training of scientific workers and expressed his desire to boost co-operation at the Vietsovpetro, the Na Duong Power Plant, and the Da Lat Nuclear Power Plant. President Putin asked Prime Minister Khai to convey his invitation to Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh to visit Russia. For his part, Mr Khai said that the Vietnamese government and people appreciated the President's leadership which had helped Russia to become a more prosperous nation. He stressed: "The Vietnamese people always treasure their fine relations with the Russian people." He pointed to those co-operation projects that gained good results after President Putin's visit, including ones dealing with training, science and technology, and energy. Particularly, Vietnam has so far this year tapped 16 million tonnes of crude oil, to which the Vietsovpetro contributed most. Prime Minister Khai said he wished the two countries would make more efforts to reach the two-way trade turnover as agreed upon. Prime Minister Khai conveyed to President Putin the best regards and an invitation for a visit to Vietnam from Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and President Tran Duc Luong. Prime Minister Khai and President Putin also exchanged views on other issues relating to co-operation between the two countries and among APEC countries, and international issues of common concern. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asian-Pacific lawyers seek peace amid globalisation trend All speakers at a regional lawyers conference, which opened in Hanoi on October 19, stressed peace as an important factor for human rights and development in the region amid the globalisation trend. The third Conference of the Organisation of Lawyers in Asia-Pacific drew 18 international delegations and representatives from ministries and public agencies across the country to discuss 'Peace, human rights, and development in the context of globalisation in the Asian-Pacific region.' In his opening speech, chairman of the host Lawyers' Association, Pham Hung, stressed the importance of peace and justice for the future prosperity of people in the region and the world. He said the conference was a good forum for people to exchange views on the struggle for peace, human rights, and development in their individual nations, in the region, and the world as a whole. President of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, Jitendra Sharma, praised Vietnam's role in the world struggle for democracy, national sovereignty, and independence. He said that Vietnam was in the heart of democratic lawyers the world over, and that Vietnam symbolised the struggle for national sovereignty and independence. He described the conference as a good opportunity to discuss measures for building an Asia-Pacific free of poverty in the new century, where peace and human rights would be respected for people's development and a healthy environment. Peace was also the key goal to put forth by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam during his speech. He emphasised that struggling for an eternal peace and sustainable security is a responsibility of all nations, regardless of their status, big or small, rich or poor. Mr Cam said that the Vietnamese people, who had risked and sacrificed their lives in a long and difficult struggle for peace, independence, and happiness, deeply understood the value of real human rights. He said he believed that lawyers in the region would further boost unified efforts to mobilise progressive forces in the region and the world as a whole to fight for peace, justice, fundamental human rights, and the development of nations. The conference, co-sponsored by the Vietnam Lawyers' Association and their Indian, Pakistani, and Japanese counterparts, is scheduled to last till October 20. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vietnam reaffirms lawyers' continued protection� of civil rights Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh has assured an international lawyers delegation of Vietnam's legal community's active contributions to the national efforts for a law-governing State and the protection of civil rights. Ms Binh made the statement while receiving delegates to the third Conference of the Organisation of Lawyers in Asia-Pacific, held in Hanoi on October 19 and 20. She also expressed her belief that lawyers in the Asian-Pacific region would strengthen unity to struggle for peace, justice, fundamental human rights, and development of all nations in the world. In turn, the president of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), Jitendra Sharma, recognised the Vietnam Lawyers Association's contribution to IADL's development. He said that Vietnam's lawyers would further promote their international co-operation for a peaceful, just, democratic, and prosperous world. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vietnam, France to boost co-operation in education� and culture Vietnam looks forward to exchanges of experiences in management and assistance in education and preservation from France regarding tangible and intangible cultural values. So said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem to President of the UNESCO Committee of France Jean Favier in Paris on October 18. Mr Khiem has been in France for the 31st session of the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Deputy Prime Minister Khiem introduced his host of operations of the Vietnam UNESCO Committee, and the government's contributions to cultural, educational, scientific and information fields. He stressed that the Vietnamese government attached importance to the protection of cultural relics and actively participated in regional and global co-operation programmes. The Vietnamese leader praised France's assistance to the Vietnam UNESCO Committee. Mr Favier praised the dynamism of the Vietnam UNESCO Committee and the Vietnamese government in cultural, educational, and scientific fields. He affirmed his committee's commitment to further co-operation with Vietnam in the future. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NA Committee prepares for ratification of Vietnam-US trade agreement The External Relations Committee of the National Assembly has proposed that the National Assembly Standing Committee submit the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) to the National Assembly for ratification at the 10th session scheduled to be held between November and December of this year. The committee met in a plenary session in Hanoi on October 19, under the chairmanship of its Chairman Do Van Tai, who is also a member of the NA Standing Committee, to supervise preparations for the National Assembly to ratify the BTA. The meeting focused on legislative and executive preparations and the necessity to study and understand the US laws with a view to actively gaining access to the US market. Ratification of the BTA should serve national construction and must be based on respect for each other's national sovereignty, non-interference into each other's internal affairs, equality, and mutual benefit. The BTA will bring benefits to both nations and Vietnam has pledged to respect international laws and practices while following its plans for economic development, participants at the meeting said. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Foreign relief aid granted to flood victims Donations continue flowing in Mekong delta flood provinces. The government of France has decided to grant 110 tonnes of rice worth 150,000 French Francs as relief to nearly 2,500 flood-hit households in the Mekong delta provinces of Long An, An Giang and Dong Thap. The donation will be distributed through the Vietnam Red Cross. Taking into account the loss of lives and the damages caused by the recent floods in the Mekong delta, the Italian government has decided to donate US $50,000 for relief and assistance. The emergency aid will be channelled through the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs based in Geneva. Meanwhile, the Australian Business Group (ABG) in Ho Chi Minh City gave US $10,000 to the Vietnam Red Cross on October 17 as relief aid to flood victims in the Mekong delta. The German government has announced that it has given US $46,900 to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarians Affairs in Geneva for Vietnamese flood victims. The money will be used to buy food for children and boats for transporting children to emergency child-care groups. Floods in southern Mekong delta killed an additional 45 people over the past five days, bringing the total death toll to 286, including 223 children, according to an initial report of the Southern Steering Committee for Storm and Flood Control. The floods, which inundated more than 275,600 houses and swept away 2,640 others, have _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
