VNA Hopes for further co-operation between Vietnam and IMF Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has expressed his wish for further enhancement of co-operation between Vietnam and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during his meeting with a delegation of IMF executive directors in Hanoi on October 22. The IMF delegation, headed by Office Executive Director of the Netherlands, J De Beaufort Wijnholds, is now on a working visit to Vietnam to learn more about the country's economic structure and political system in order to help Vietnam develop its economy. Deputy Prime Minister Dung welcomed the delegation's visit, describing it as a manifestation of the IMF's support to Vietnam and an opportunity for the IMF to better understand the country. He expressed his thanks to the IMF for its approval of a financial assistance package to help Vietnam with its a hunger eradication and poverty reduction programme. Director Wijnholds, on behalf of the delegation, said he was ready to help Vietnam develop its economy and reduce poverty. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Foreign minister meets Russian, US, Chilean, Peruvian counterparts in Shanghai Vietnam's Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien has met on separate occasions with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Chilian Foreign Minister Maria Valenzuela, and Peruvian Foreign Minister Diego Garcia Sayan in Shanghai on the sidelines of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation) Ministerial Meeting and the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting. Mr Nien and his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov expressed their high appreciation for the recent development of Vietnam-Russia relations with agreements reached by high-level leaders being implemented actively. The two foreign ministers affirmed that in the complicated situation in the world, the exchange of visits and the holding of meetings between the two countries' leaders were crucial to the consolidation and enhancement of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia. They also agreed to boost their co-ordination, first and foremost, to prepare for the upcoming visit to Vietnam by President Vladimir Putin and the meeting of the Vietnam-Russia Inter-governmental Committee. Regarding international issues of common concern, Mr Nien and Mr Ivanov said that both Vietnam and Russia have the same basic stance on regional and international issues. The two countries have supported the international struggle against terrorism and held that the struggle must be conducted in the framework of international law and in conformity with the United Nations Charter. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Nien and US Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed their satisfaction at the US Senate's ratification of the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and the US President's signing of the BTA on October 17, 2001. They described the event as an important landmark in the process of normalising of relations between the two countries. Minister Nien said that Vietnam's National Assembly is considering ratifying the BTA soon. The US Secretary of State expressed thanks to the Vietnamese government and people for their message of sympathy to the America people after the September 11 tragedy. Meeting with the Chilean and Peruvian Foreign Ministers, Foreign Minister Nien thanked the governments and people of Chile and Peru for their fine sentiments and support to the Vietnamese people during their struggle for national liberation in the past and the national construction and renovation at present. Mr Nien and his Chilean and Peruvian counterparts acknowledged that the economic and commercial relations between Vietnam, Chile, and Peru have not matched their potential and wishes. They agreed to the need for more exchange of visits by delegations at various levels to promote mutual understanding and co-operation, especially in economic, commercial, and tourist fields. The Peruvian foreign minister affirmed the implementation of agreements signed with Vietnam while the Chilean Foreign Minister announced that his country would soon open its consulate and commercial office in Vietnam. The two ministers also affirmed their countries' support for Vietnam's bid to join the World Trade Organisation. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Whirlwinds, downpour wreak havoc in central region Whirlwinds and downpour suddenly hit central city of Da Nang, central provinces of Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Ninh Thuan, causing losses in human lives and property. A strong whirlwind hit Hoa Khanh and Hoa Minh wards, Lien Chieu district, Da Nang central city on October 22, injuring two people, pulling down and making 62 houses roofless. The whirlwind also severely damaged four shrimp strain farms, 23 hectares of vegetables and 100 orchards. Quang Tri central province on October 21 and 22 suffered heavy rains and whirlwinds. Eight people were reported dead, injured and missing. About 500 houses were made roofless and 1,000 hectares of crops, were damaged. Torrential downpour together with floodwater from the upstream inundated many parts of the central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai. In Quang Nam, many inter-district roads, Highway 1A were submerged under 50 to 100 centimetres of water. According to an initial report, nine people were killed and another two were injured. The flooding eroded tens of kilometres of canals and dykes, sank two boats and swept away 500 kilograms of shrimps. In Quang Ngai, floodwater submerged many parts of Highway 1A, causing a traffic jam for eight hours. It is reported that, two people were killed, one was missing and two others were injured. Heavy rains, measured at about 350 millimetres, fell in Ninh Thuan central province, breaking many parts of the inter-village roads and flooding 100 hectares of rice and 25 hectares of shrimp raising area. Floodwater flowing from the upstream of the Mekong river, together with tidal waves, caused great losses to Cho Lach district, Ben Tre Mekong river delta province. More than 5,000 metres of dyke suffered landslide. The whole Cho Lach town was submerged, making the travelling difficult in the area. The local administrations are pooling their efforts to overcome the aftermath and help people promptly stabilise their lives and production. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ASEAN officials discuss water resource management Vietnam and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have discussed the management and sustainable use of water resources. A conference with the theme of 'Water for the 21st century' was held in Hanoi on October 22, with the attendance of delegates from ten ASEAN countries, the Hanoi-based representatives of the United Nations and international organisations, and relevant agencies of Vietnam. The participants focused discussions the implementation of projects dealing with the sustainable useof water resources in Vietnam, regional countries, and others. The discussions covered topics such as river basin management, the use of water resources, laws and institutions for water management, and co-operation for better management of water resources in each country and the region. The conference was held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Union of Scientific Associations of Vietnam, in co-ordination with the Dutch and Danish Embassies, the South East Asian Technical Advisory Committee, and the Global Water Partnership. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lawyers meet in solidarity with Palestinian people A meeting in solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people was held in Hanoi on October 21. The meeting was attended by President of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) Jitendra Sharma, President of the Vietnam Lawyers' Association Pham Hung, and Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Sayed Al-Masri. It also drew members of the diplomatic corps and Vietnamese and foreign lawyers who have been in Hanoi for the third Conference of the Organisation of Lawyers in Asia-Pacific. The meeting released a statement, saying "Lawyers present at the meeting express their profound concern over the peace process in the Middle East which has met many difficulties and developed in a complicated manner over the past year. Particularly, recent months saw increasing violence between Israel and Palestine and more severe disputes between conflicting parties." "We fully support the Palestinian people in their just struggle - a legal right in conformity with the United Nations Charter - to regain their fundamental national rights, including the right to establish an independent Palestinian state in their country," the statement noted. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hanoi mayor visits Seoul and Tokyo Hanoi Mayor Hoang Van Nghien visited Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK), last week at the invitation of his Seoul counterpart Goh Kun. Mr Nghien's visit to Seoul, which coincided with the fifth anniversary of bilateral co-operation establishment between the two capitals, aimed at taking bilateral ties to a new height of development. It also helped open a new chapter in comprehensive co-operation between the two countries in the 21st century as agreed upon by President Tran Duc Luong of Vietnam and RoK President Kim Dae-Jung during the RoK visit by the Vietnamese State leader last August. During the visit, the Hanoi Mayor was received by RoK Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong. After briefing the RoK Prime Minister of Vietnam's recent socio-economic development situation and its renovation achievements, Mayor Nghien assured Prime Minister Lee of the country's political stability. He affirmed the effective co-operation between business circles of the two countries, saying that RoK business people have made great contributions to Vietnam's national development. Mr Lee pointed to the need to further strengthen co-operation programmes between the two countries and pledged to create more favourable conditions for further expansion of bilateral co-operation between the two countries in general and the two capitals in particular. He asked Mayor Nghien to give priority to RoK businesses who wish to invest in Hanoi's infrastructure developmentprojects. After their talks, the two Mayors signed a memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the two capitals for the coming years. Mayor Goh introduced to his guest Seoul's experiences in infrastructure development, urban planning and environmental protection. Hundreds of RoK business people attended a seminar held jointly by the Seoul Industry and Commerce Bureau and the Hanoi People's Committee to seek for business opportunities with Hanoi's partners, who accompanied Mayor Nghien. Leaving Seoul, the Hanoi Mayor headed for Tokyo where he joined his counterparts from other nine Asian cities for a conference on the network of major Asian cities in the 21st century. The conference was an opportunity for Hanoi to share experiences with other Asian cities on how to turn itself into a developed city. At a reception given to Hanoi's delegation, Governor Shintaro Ishikhata of Tokyo - the host of the conference - spoke highly of the contributions by Hanoi's delegation to the conference and expressed his joy at the recent fruitful development of Vietnam's capital. Nearly 130 Japanese businesses joined their Vietnamese partners in a seminar to call for investment in Hanoi where foreign investors are offered favourable investment conditions. During his visit to Tokyo, Mayor Nghien was also received by Sakare, Minister of State, and Sazuki-Maneo, representative of the ruling Party and head of the External Economic Relations Committee. And he held working sessions with the Japanese International Co-operation Agency _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
