VNA
Vietnamese, Brunei leaders discuss ways to boost ties President Tran Duc Luong of Vietnam and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei have discussed ways to boost bilateral relations. President Luong, who arrived in the Bruinei capital of Bandar Seri Begawan on November 12, for a three-day official friendship visit, was given a State welcoming ceremony by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. During their talks in Bandar Seri Begawan on the afternoon of November 12, President Luong and Sultan Bolkiah agreed to strengthen commercial co-operation while expanding labour and education co-operation. They expressed their satisfaction at how the relations between the two countries have strengthened in the recent past, particularly with the signing of a bilateral trade agreement, a navigation agreement, and a memorandum of understanding on tourism co-operation during President Luong's current visit to Brunei. The two leaders agreed to make greater efforts to build unity and co-operation among members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying this was vital to implementing the Hanoi Declaration and other important documents signed during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Hanoi and the recent seventh ASEAN Summit in Brunei. President Luong expressed his belief that his current visit would create a new impetus for strengthening and expanding relations between the two countries, bilaterally and multilaterally within the ASEAN framework. He also expressed his appreciation for Brunei's socio-economic development and its successful organisation of the seventh ASEAN Summit. He expressed his confidence that, under Brunei's leadership as president of ASEAN, the organisation would continue to strengthen in the coming time. President Luong invited Sultan Bolkiah to pay an official visit to Vietnam. Sultan Bolkiah said he highly valued the significance of President Luong's visit, saying it marked the opening of a new stage in the bilateral relations between the two countries, helping to accelerate co-operation in a wide range of areas. (VNA) **** Typhoon Lingling claims 20 lives in central provinces As many as 20 people were killed on November 12 by typhoon storm named Lingling, which hit central and Central Highlands provinces on mid-night of November 11, according to initial reports from storm-stricken localities. The typhoon injured 77 people, unroofed and pulled down thousands of houses and schools, sank almost 50 boats, and ruined thousands of hectares of rice and subsidiary food crops in central coastal Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, and Phu Yen provices as well as Central Highlands Dak Lak province. Phu Yen province was hardest hit with 11 deaths and 29 injured people. It is followed by Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai with three and one deaths, respectively. Total material losses were estimated at VND 30 billion (US $2 million) in Phu Yen province and at VND 15 billion (US $1 million) in Quang Ngai province. Local authorities rushed to storm-hit areas to help people overcome the aftermath of storm Lingling. Binh Dinh province alone has provided VND 3 million to each family that lost its house and VND 1 million to each household that lost a family member in the typhoon. Relief workers also have been deployed to evacuate the elderly and children from homes in low-lying areas along rivers as well as to prepare food, medicine, and other emergency needs. The military and police forces are on 24-hour alert and are responsible for getting all boats back into port. Other relevant agencies are also poised for action. Lingling is expected to move in a west to north-westerly direction over the next hours at speeds of 10-15 kilometres per hour. Winds are predicted to pick up overnight and torrential rains to hit the eight coastal provinces from Quang Tri to Ninh Thuan, 800 kilometres to the south. Local authorities have been warned to make use of the time still available to try to minimise the typhoon's impact. **** Vietnam-Indonesia joint press statement issued Vietnam and Indonesia issued in Jakarta on November 12, a joint press statement on President Tran Duc Luong's visit to Indonesia from November 10-12. The statement says that Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri warmly welcomed President Luong's visit, saying that it was of great significance to the consolidation and promotion of the two countries' solidarity and co-operation on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit. President Luong and President Megawati held talks in an atmosphere of friendship, mutual understanding, and trust. The two Heads of State expressed satisfaction at the growing development of the Vietnam-Indonesia traditional friendship and multifaceted co-operation in politics, foreign relations, economics, and culture in recent years. President Megawati expressed her admiration for the important achievements recorded by the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the renovation process and in socio-economic development, thus raising Vietnam's role in the region and the world. President Megawati wished Vietnam more and greater achievements in building a powerful country and providing the people with an equal, democratic, progressive, and prosperous society, making Vietnam an industrialised country by 2020, thus contributing to peace, stability, co-operation, and development in the region and the world at large. President Luong praised efforts made by the Indonesian government and people in maintaining political stability, territorial integrity, and national unity as well as in developing and strengthening solidarity and co-operation in ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific region, and the world. The two Presidents were pleased at the outcome of the third session of the Vietnam-Indonesia Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technological Co-operation held in Jakarta from November 1-3. The two sides welcomed the signing of the protocol on amendments to the 1990 Agreement on Economic, Scientific, and Technological Co-operation. They agreed to increase their annual two-way trade value to US $1 billion in the coming period. In this spirit, they emphasised their commitment to taking measures to boost rice trading in keeping with the MoUs signed on July 6 and August 29 of this year. They agreed to promote barter trade and set up a mechanism for payment in barter transactions. They also agreed to promote investment and create favourable conditions for businesses of the two countries to invest in preferential fields, especially the production of export items from farm produce. The two Heads of State asked ministers and senior officials to actively implement agreements between the two sides. The two sides agreed to conduct further negotiations on granting visa waivers for Vietnamese and Indonesian passport holders. They agreed to resume talks on the re-opening of direct flights between the two countries, especially between Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta in order to boost bilateral co-operation in economics, commerce, and tourism. They emphasised the importance of delineating the continental shelf between the two countries, and lauded the progress made at the recent talks held by experts in this field, saying this will further promote friendly and co-operative relations between the two countries. They agreed to settle the issue as soon as possible. President Luong and President Megawati acknowledged the importance of promoting co-operation between Vietnam and Indonesia within the ASEAN framework as well as at regional forums with a view to strengthening security and prosperity in the region. They applauded the important results of the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Shanghai on October 20 and 21, 2001 and the ASEAN Summit in Brunei from November 5-6, 2001. They acknowledged that Vietnam's joining the WTO and its integration into the regional and global economy will play an important role in the sustainable development and prosperity of Vietnam and the region as well. In this spirit, Indonesia asserted its support for Vietnam's joining the WTO. The two sides reaffirmed their agreement with the ASEAN leaders' Statement on the fight against terrorism issued at the ASEAN Summit held in Brunei on November 5 and 6 and the APEC leaders' statement issued at the APEC summit in Shanghai on October 20 and 21. The two Heads of State held that in the context that the international situation has become complicated since the September 11 attacks on the US, it is more necessary to promote co-operation among ASEAN, in the region and the world as a whole, in the fight against trans-national crimes including terrorism, weapon smuggling, money laundering, sea piracy, drug smuggling, and illegal immigration. During the visit, President Luong had a working session with Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MRP) Professor Amien Rais, laid a wreath at the Monument to Fallen Heroes; visited the export processing zone on the outskirts of Jakarta; and met with members of the Indonesian business circle. The two sides reached the same view that the fruitful visit to Indonesia by President Luong would further boost the Vietnam-Indonesia traditional friendship and co-operation. They expressed their belief that the two sides would exchange more visits of ministers and senior officials as well as other levels. President Luong expressed sincere thanks to President Megawati as well as the government and people of Indonesia for having warmly welcomed him and his party. He invited President Megawati and her husband to pay an official visit to Vietnam. The timing of the visit will be arranged through diplomatic channels. The invitation was accepted with pleasure. (VNA) **** CICA to fund agriculture project Members of the International Confederation of Agriculture (CICA) will grant Vietnam EURO 50,000 for its agricultural and rural development projects, affirmed CICA Chairman Barsalou. Mr Barsalou made the affirmation at an opening ceremony of the 31st CICA General Assembly in Hanoi on November 12. The two-day conference is designed to help CICA member countries gain a better understanding of Vietnam's agricultural economy and share experiences in changing environment for banking activities. High on the agenda of the general assembly are Prime Minister Phan Van Khai's speech on economic renewal and agricultural development in Vietnam and State Bank Governor Le Duc Thuy's report on renovation and development of Vietnam's finance-banking system. The 112 delegates from 18 countries were also provided with a report on the renovation and agricultural development in Vietnam and another on the development process of the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (BARD). In his speech, Prime Minister Khai spoke highly of the Vietnamese government and people's efforts to develop agriculture and rural areas. He affirmed the development of Vietnam's banking system and credit organisations, particularly BARD, saying it had provided loans for nearly 10 million farmer households throughout Vietnam. The prime minister asked CICA to admit more members and give assistance to agricultural and under-developed countries, thus contributing to building a world of peace, stability, and prosperity in the new century. (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] __________________________________________________
