VNA
Party makes clear viewpoints on constitutional revision The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has made clear its viewpoint on the amendments of and supplements to a number of articles of the 1992 Constitution, saying they should continue to affirm the nature and the overall model of Vietnam's political system and State apparatus as stated in the 1992 Constitution. This viewpoint came in an announcement released by the CPV Central Committee at the end of its fourth plenum held in Hanoi from November 5-13. The announcement said that the plenum discussed and passed the orientation for amendments of and supplements to some articles of the 1992 Constitution with the viewpoint of continuing to affirm the nature and the overall model of Vietnam's political regime and its State apparatus as defined in the CPV's platform and the 1992 Constitution. It went on: The State apparatus is organised on the principle that the State's power is unified, with a division and coordination between all State organisations in the implementation of three legislative, executive, and judicial powers. The principle of democratic centralism is observed in the organisation and operation of the State apparatus, while promoting democracy, increasing socialist, legislation, and building a socialist law-governed State. Only those issues considered to be urgent and uninamously agreed upon will be amended and supplemented. The changes will focus on articles relating to the organisation of the State apparatus in order to lay the groundwork for its on-going reform. At the same time, articles relating to other sectors will also be amended and supplemented so as to make them suitable to the new contents defined by the resolution of the Ninth National Party Congress. Based on these guiding viewpoints, the plenum discussed the orientation for amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Constitution concerning the National Assembly, the State president, the government, the People's Councils, the People's Committees, the People's Courts, the People's Procuracies, and the preface of the Constitution. The Party Central Committee assigned the Party Politburo to lead the the Party Committee of the National Assembly, and the Committee for Drafting Revision of the 1992 Constitution in finalising the draft version which will be submitted to the National Assembly at its tenth session scheduled to take place in November and December of this year. The plenum also discussed the orientation for the coming 11th National Assembly elections. The plenum discussed and passed a report on the socio-economic development plan and the State budget for 2002 as well as the five-year socio-economic development plan between 2001 and 2005. The plenum analysed and assessed the implementation of the 2001 socio-economic plan and the 2001 State budget, highlighting the achievements and weaknesses and their major causes. The session noted that, against the backdrop of 2001, Vietnam's economy has continuously registered a relatively high and stable development with a positive change in economic structures. Analysing international and domestic situations, and pointing out difficulties, advantages and disadvantages facing the country as it approaches the year 2002, the plenum stressed that, while implementing tasks and solutions for socio-economic development and State budget allocations in 2002 and the following years, it is necessary to fully develop internal strengths, utilise external sources, prevent negative impacts, and seize new opportunities for rapid and sustainable development. The plenum requires that the country gain a growth rate in 2002 of at least that of 2001 and reach the five-year targets set at the Ninth National Party Congress by 2005 and, at the same time, be active in taking timely measures to cope with unprecedented changes. On implementation of the resolution of the Party Central Committee eighth tenure's sixth plenum (second phase) on speeding up the campaign on Party building and rectification as well as reducing corruption and wastefulness, the plenary session considered for issue a number of practical and concrete measures to be taken to further accelerate the campaign, focusing mainly on reducing and preventing corruption and wastefulness. To further implement the above-said campaign, the plenum stressed that fighting corruption and wastefulness is a burning problem that should be settled with all efforts. The plenum also discussed and made decisions on a number of other important issues. (VNA) **** President Luong extends sympathy to storm victims State President Tran Duc Luong, who is on a three-nation South East Asian tour, has extended sympathy to victims of tropical storm Lingling that first struck Vietnam's central coast and Central Highland regions on Monday, November12. In his message, President Luong said he was deeply moved by the great human and property losses caused by the typhoon to central areas, particularly Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, and Quang Ngai provinces. The president praised efforts to minimise the consequences of Lingling made by the Central Committee for Storm and Flood Control and other concerned ministries and agencies, as well as storm-stricken localities. He further called on Party Committees, administrations, mass organisations, and army units in the storm-hit areas to exert greater efforts to overcome all consequences caused by typhoon Lingling. (VNA) **** Efforts made to overcome typhoon aftermath Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo led a delegation to pay an inspection tour to two storm-hit central provinces of Phu Yen and Binh Dinh on November 12 and 13. While in Phu Yen, Minister Ngo told the provincial authorities that the government would grant VND 5 billion as an initial support to storm victims. According to the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control, as of November 13, the Lingling typhoon, which hit central provinces on November 12, claimed 20 lives and injured 86 others. Over 500 households had to be evacuated. As many as 2,800 houses, offices and schools were pulled down. More than 13,000 homes were made roofless. The storm also sank 144 fishing boats, damaged 279 others and submerged 70,000 hectares of rice and vegetables. The total losses were put at around VND 440 billion. The hardest hit was Phu Yen province where 15 people were killed and 35 others were injured. The storm also pulled down 1,183 houses and damaged 8,600 others. The typhoon also heavily damaged 500 hectares of shrimp farms, sank 34 boats and eroded 7,000 metres of land. The total losses to the province were estimated at VND 300 billion. The Vietnam Fatherland Front sent a message of sympathy on November 13 to storm-affected people in Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai. The Front also granted VND 280 million to three above-mentioned provinces to help the local people overcome the storm aftermath. The Vietnam Red Cross Society has provided VND 100 million to provinces of Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai and Dak Lak. Hanoi's Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union launched a donation campaign on November 13 to raise money for storm victims in the centre. VND 3 million has been collected in the first day. Hai Duong province has donated VND 500 million to storm-ravaged provinces. **** President Luong praises successful Vietnam-Brunei co-operation State President Tran Duc Luong has praised the successes achieved by business people of Vietnam and Brunei in overcoming numerous difficulties to ensure effective co-operation in many areas. President Luong, who is now in Brunei on the second leg of his three-nation South East Asian tour, made the comment while meeting with representatives of Brunei's Commerce Chambers and Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Bandar Seri Begawan on November 13. Mr Luong said he believed that business people of both countries would continue to seek new measures to expand their investment co-operation to other fields in order to make full use of each country's potential to meet the aspiration of both peoples and for the benefit of both countries, thus contributing to further promoting the Vietnam-Brunei friendship and co-operation. Early in the day, President Luong and his entourage visited oil rig platform Champion-7, about 70 kilometres off Seria township, west of Brunei, and a liquified gas plant at Lumut. The president and his party made a visit to floating village Kampong Ayer covering an area of more than 10 square kilometres. Kampong is one of 42 floating villages lying along the Brunei river and is inhabited by about 30,000 people. In the evening, President Luong and his entourage were feted by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. President Luong is expected to leave Bandar Seri Begawan for Manila tomorrow for an official visit to the Philippines, the last leg of his three-nation Asian tour. (VNA) **** Vietnam-China work in publishing children's books hailed Vietnam-China co-operation in publishing books and newspapers for children has made important contributions to educating future leaders of the two countries. So said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam who added that the two countries' Parties and States have long paid attention to co-operation in this field. Receiving a delegation of China's For-Children Publishing Group in Hanoi on November 13, Deputy Prime Minister Cam told the group president, Hai Fei, that he wished to see closer co-operation between the Chinese Group and the Vietnamese Children's Newspaper with an aim of laying a firm foundation for the development of the friendly and co-operative relations between Vietnam and China. The Chinese group president told the deputy prime minister of their visit's aim to exchange experiences in publishing books and newspapers. (VNA) **** ASEAN disaster prevention network set up The meeting of South East Asia Disaster Managers was held in Da Nang city on November 13. The delegates to the meeting exchanged and discussed experiences in managing community disasters and agreed to build a network to exchange information and provide mutual technical and material assistance to ensure timely disaster prevention measures. The meeting was jointly held by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, the Asian disaster Prevention Centre and the Vietnam Red Cross Society. The delegates will visit Thua Thien-Hue on November 16 to consult on disaster prevention measures which have been carried out in the province. **** Vietnam fully supports comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty Vietnam has voiced its full support for the objectives and purposes of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Addressing the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty in New York on November 12, Permanent Representative of Vietnam Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Chau noted: "The CTBT, even if it leaves much to be desired, remains an important measure for preserving world peace and security by preventing the development of more advanced and lethal types of nuclear weapons." He went on to say that no nuclear explosions have been carried out by states possessing nuclear weapons since the Treaty was concluded, and a moratorium on nuclear tests has been observed. The Treaty, however, has not yet become a solid legal instrument that will permanently prevent nuclear explosions. Vietnam supports the commitment and concerted efforts of the international community towards achieving a universal adherence to the Treaty at an early date, Ambassador Chau told the conference. "Vietnam commends the work of the PrepCom for the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) in garnering support for the Treaty, and for the establishment of a verification process to monitor the implementation of the Treaty. Consistent efforts are being made to build a worldwide monitoring system which will surely strengthen the effectiveness of the Treaty when it comes into force," the Vietnamese representative also said. He pointed to the fact that on September 12, 1996 Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam represented Vietnam at the signing of the Treaty when it was open for signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Necessary steps are now being taken to fulfill the national requirements for ratification. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in co-ordination with several government agencies, has recently organised a national workshop in Hanoi to promote further understanding of the provisions and objectives of the Treaty as well as the necessity of early ratification. In this context, the Vietnamese delegation wishes to express its deep appreciation of the assistance provided by the Secretariat of the PrepCom of the CTBTO without which the workshop would not have been such a success. Vietnam supports all efforts and initiatives working towards a world free from all weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons in particular. In conclusion, the Vietnamese representative said that in line with this principle, the country will continue to work hard with all other countries to enable the CTBT to achieve universal adherence, thus making further contributions to strengthening world peace and security. (VNA) _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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