VNA
US, Britain unleash firestorm on Afghanistan
The United States and Britain on Sunday unleashed a firestorm of bombing and
missile strikes on Afghanistan to cripple the military of its ruling Taliban
and drive out of caves and into the open those believed responsible for the
suicide plane attacks on America, according to Reuters.
President Bush said Afghanistan's radical Islamic rulers were paying the
price for supporting terrorism and sheltering Osama bin Laden, accused of
directing the September 11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New
York and the Pentagon near Washington that killed about 5,600 people.
Eyewitnesses said huge explosions shook the Afghan capital of Kabul and the
other main cities of Kandahar and Jalalabad in the first phase of what
Washington called a non-stop war against terrorism and the states that
support it.
Speaking at the White House, Bush said operation 'Enduring Freedom,' was
initially designed to "disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of
operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime.
"By destroying camps and disrupting communications, we will make it more
difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their
evil plans," he said.
"Initially the terrorists may burrow deeper into caves and other entrenched
hiding places. Our military action is ... to drive them out and bring them
to justice."
In a stick-and-carrot strategy, US planes also dropped leaflets calling on
the Taliban to end their resistance while aircraft loaded with food supplies
headed to the area to make air drops to the besieged 24-million population.
Residents of Kandahar reported panic in the nation's second city which is
the Taliban's spiritual stronghold and headquarters of its ruler Mullah
Mohammad Omar.
"People are trying to run away," one resident told Reuters. "They are very
scared. They are very frightened." (Reuters)
****
President urges Binh Thuan to reclaim waste land
for cultivation
President Tran Duc Luong urged Binh Thuan, the southernmost province in
Vietnam's central region, to capitalise on thousands of hectares of waste
land.
President Luong expressed these sentiments during a working session with
provincial officials during his tour of the province from October 4-6.
The president's mission was to assess the socio-economic situation and find
ways to help the province meet State targets and implement the resolutions
of the Ninth Party Congress.
Mr Luong said the province should reclaim its waste land for industrial crop
cultivation and fruit trees. Expansion of cultivation should go hand in hand
with construction of small and medium-scale irrigation networks to avoid
water shortage for domestic use, the president said. He advised the province
to carry out economic restructuring, focusing on agro-forest-aquaculture
development. Mr Luong also advised the province to make more efforts to tap
its tourist potential.
President Luong said socio-economic development projects in the locality
must be carried out in ways such that all people, particularly poor families
in remote areas and former revolutionary bases, are able to enjoy the fruits
of the country's progress in renewal.
President Luong highly valued the great contributions made by local people
and armed forces during the past struggle for national independence. He then
lauded the great efforts made by Binh Thuan's people and authorities to step
up economic development in peacetime.
Speaking to key officials of the province, President Luong stressed the need
to strengthen the Party leadership and ensure State management efficiency at
the grassroots level.
During his tour of the province, President Luong visited local people,
officials, and armed forces at two struggling communes, namely the Hong
Phong former revolutionary base and Dong Giang. Luong also toured the Ham
Thuan-Dami Hydro-electricity Plant and the Vinh Hao Mineral Water Company.
(VNA)
****
PM arrives in Spain, beginning European tour
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his wife left Hanoi on October 7, for
official visits to Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.
He was accompanied by Trade Minister Vu Khoan, Finance Minister Nguyen Sinh
Hung, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Doan Manh Giao, Deputy
Foreign Minister Chu Tuan Cap, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vo
Hong Phuc, Deputy Industry Minister Hoang Trung Hai, and Deputy Minister of
Fisheries Nguyen Thi Hong Minh. General Director of the Administration of
Tourism Vo Thi Thang, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan newspaper Dinh The Huynh,
and General Director of Vietnam Television Vu Van Hien were also included in
the delegation.
* Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his wife arrived in Madrid, Spain on the
same day, beginning an official friendship visit to Spain as guests of
Spain�s Prime Minister.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and Spain has been growing quickly, with an
average annual growth rate of 37% in the 1996-2000 period.
Their bilateral trade value rose from US $121 million in 1996 to US $228
million in 1997, US $259 million in 1998, US $298 million in 1999 and US
$352 million last year.
Vietnam has exported footwear, coffee, tea, rubber, and textiles to Spain
while importing technical equipment, electric appliances, optical products,
chemicals, steel, and enamelled tiles.
Spain has continuously provided Vietnam with official development assistance
(ODA). It gave Vietnam US $80 million in the 1995-96 fiscal year and US $102
million in the 1997-99 fiscal year. In September of 2001, the two sides
concluded a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding a US $135-million
loan which Spain will provide to Vietnam between now and 2003.
Spain's ODA projects have focussed on the fields of public health, power
network development, rural development, and environmental protection.
In addition, Spain has spared no efforts to help Vietnam normalise the
latter's ties with international financial and monetary institutions,
promote Vietnam's relations with the European Union, and support Vietnam's
entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Spain has also offered additional relief to victims of natural disasters in
Vietnam, including the Spanish Government's US $220,000 aid package to storm
victims in February of 1999. (VNA)
****
Vietnam, New Zealand wish to further bilateral ties
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament, Jonathan Hunt, expressed his
delight at Vietnam's renewal achievements over the past ten years while
receiving Vice National Assembly Chairwoman Truong My Hoa in Wellington, New
Zealand, on October 3.
Ms Hoa conveyed National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An's best regards to
Speaker Hunt and other leaders of the New Zealand.
She informed her host of Vietnam's socio-economic achievements in the past
nine months as well as the country's plans for socio-economic development in
the coming time.
Both sides expressed their wish to further develop the friendship and
co-operation between the two legislative bodies in particular and between
the two countries in general.
While in New Zealand from September 30 to October 6, Vice Chairwoman Hoa and
her delegation held working sessions with New Zealand parliamentarians,
government officials, and representatives of relevant agencies in Wellington
and Auckland. They exchanged experiences on issues relating to labour and
social insurance laws. (VNA)
****
Localities of Vietnam, Russia to boost co-operation
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam said he hoped that more localities of
Vietnam and Russia would establish and expand co-operation in economical,
commercial, cultural, educational and tourist fields to be on a par with
potential, interests, friendship and fine traditional co-operation between
Vietnam and the Russian Federation.
Deputy Prime Minister Cam was speaking at a reception in Hanoi on October 5
for Russian first Deputy Minister of Federal Affairs, Nationalities and
Migration Policy, Valery Kirpichnikov who is leading a delegation of local
leaders and businessmen on a working visit to Vietnam.
The Vietnamese deputy prime minister welcomed the visit made by Mr V K
Nikov, which, he said, expressed wishes to strengthen exchanges and
co-operation between localities of their respective countries. He also
highly appreciated the discussion of the two delegations on the working
mechanism of the Sub-Committee for Localities under the Vietnam-Russia Joint
Committee for Co-operation.
The Russian deputy minister said he hoped that with available potential and
attention and support from the two States, co-operation between localities
and businesses of their respective countries would develop in a dynamic and
diversified manner, bringing practical benefits to both countries and
contributing to boosting the Russian - Vietnam relations.
****
Memorial service held for Most Venerable
Thich Thien Sieu
A memorial service was held at Tu Dam pagoda in Hue city on October 5 for
the Most Venerable Thich Thien Sieu, member of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha
(VBS) Council and Permanent Deputy Chairman of the VBS Executive Council.
Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, President Tran Duc Luong, Prime
Minister Phan Van Khai, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An, President
of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Pham The Duyet, Head of Central Public
Relations Commission Truong Quang Duoc sent their wreaths of condolences to
the Most Venerable Thich Thien Sieu.
Delegations from the National Assembly, Government Office, Central Public
Relations Commission, Thua Thien-Hue Public Relations Department, National
Assembly's Committee for Social Affairs, Vietnam Central Committee of
Fatherland Front, Government's Department of Religions and other provincial
delegations laid wreaths at the memorial service.
****
Women's Union delegation visits Poland
A delegation of the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) led by its Chairperson Ha
Thi Khiet paid an official visit to Poland from October 1-6.
During the visit, the delegation had working sessions with the Polish
Women's Association, the Poland-Vietnam Friendship Association, and women
parliamentarians. They exchanged experiences in helping women play their
role in social activities.
President of the Polish Women's Association I Nowaska welcomed the
delegation's visit, describing it as a landmark in resuming the official
relations between women of the two countries. She expressed her admiration
for Vietnam's achievements in the renewal process, especially the great
contributions by Vietnamese women.
For her part, Ms Khiet thanked the Polish people in general and women in
particular for their valuable assistance and support to Vietnam. She said
she believed that the co-operation between the two countries would be
further developed.
The delegation was received by Ms J Kwasniewska, wife of the Polish
President, on October 5.
The Vietnamese delegation visited several localities and met with Vietnamese
women living in Poland. (VNA)
****
Flood claims 200 lives in Mekong delta
Flood has claimed 200 lives including 164 children and 36 adults in the
Mekong river delta as of October 4, according to the Southern Sub-Committee
for Flood and Storm Control.
The losses caused by flood were estimated at VND 613 billion.
To date, local authorities in flood-hit areas have helped evacuate about
24,000 out of 43,800 households to safer places. They have also provided
food for 37,000 households, boats and fishing net for 1,000 families in
difficulties. They have also held free baby-sittings to minimise the number
of those killed by flood. Apart from relief aid from the government, the
local administrations have sent relief aid worth VND 4.6 billion to
households.
At present, a number of 187,000 households are in great need of food and
44,000 households are needed to be moved to higher ground.
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