VNA
PM extends sympathies to India over attack on parliament complex Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on December 14 sent a message of sympathy to his Indian counterpart, Atal Behari Vajpayee. He conveyed deep sympathy to the government of India over the December 13 attack on the parliament complex in New Delhi. He also sent condolences to the families of victims of the attack. He affirmed Vietnam's consistent stance against terrorism of any kind. Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien also sent sympathies to his Indian counterpart, Jaswant Singh. On the same day, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry issued a statement, affirming: "Vietnam protests all forms of terrorism." The spokesperson said Vietnam, a friend of India, strongly condemns the attack on the Indian Parliament. She described the attack as an extremely serious event, taking place at a time when people all over the world have been joining efforts to fight terrorism. She, therefore, asked that severe punishments be handed down to those who took part in this terrorist attack. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PLO - Palestine's sole, legitimate representative: FM spokeswoman Vietnam regards the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), under the leadership of President Yasser Arafat, as Palestine's sole legitimate representative, says a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry in Hanoi on December 14. Ms Phan Thuy Thanh was responding to questions from foreign journalists on Vietnam's reaction to the current unrest in the Middle East. She reaffirmed Vietnam's recognition of the PLO in the Palestinian people's fight for basic national rights, expressing concern over the tense situation in the Middle East as a result of Israel's declaration to cut ties with President Arafat, and its deployment of military force against Palestinian targets. She said: "Vietnam opposes any act of violence, considers violence an ineffective measure, which only creates tension and threatens peace and stability in the Middle East." "We call on all relevant parties to exercise restraint, and put an immediate end to the use of force," Ms Thanh stressed. She also urged the international community to step in to help resume peace talks on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions and the principle of 'Land for Peace.' She noted these efforts are needed to reach a peaceful, fair and sustainable solution that meets the legitimate interests of all relevant parties. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABM Treaty still foundation for peace: spokeswoman Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on December 14 expressed hope that signatories to the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty would not make any decisions that could affect efforts for full disarmament and the world stability. Ms Phan Thuy Thanh was asked by China's Xinhua and the Republic of Korea's Yonhap news agencies about the Vietnamese government's reaction to US President George Bush's December 12 announcement to withdraw from the ABM Treaty, first signed with the former Soviet Union in 1972. She made it clear that Vietnam has always supported efforts for comprehensive and full disarmament, particularly of nuclear weapons. She said Vietnam has always considered the ABM agreement between Russia and the United States a firm foundation for world strategic stability. "We hope that the (treaty) parties will make decisions that will not negatively affect the established strategic balance, on-going processes of disarmament and arms control, or world peace and stability," the spokeswoman emphasised. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Child care needs outlined for foreign ambassadors Vietnam hopes to receive material assistance and experience in order to outline proper policies for children, said Minister Tran Thi Thanh Thanh. Minister Thanh, chairwoman of the Vietnam Committee for Protection and Care of Children, was speaking to ambassadors and representatives from foreign embassies in Hanoi during a reception given by the committee to welcome Christmas and New Year. She told the guests that Vietnam's mortality and malnutrition rate among children under five dropped by 33% and almost 50%, respectively, over the past decade. The country has also successfully completed its primary education universalisation programme, Ms Thanh said. She also briefed foreign diplomats on 15 objectives of and challenges to Vietnam in carrying out child care and protection programmes in 2002. The minister took the occasion to thank embassies for assisting Vietnamese children. Hanoi-based embassies have through the committee donated more than US $2 million to functional rehabilitation centres for children with disabilities and construction of schools in remote areas. Speaking at the function, Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh lauded the contributions of foreign friends and diplomats in Hanoi to child care and protection in Vietnam. She said that children accounted for 90% of those who died in recent floods. Many others fell victim to post-war bombs, mine explosions, the effects of Agent Orange during the war, drug abuse, prostitution, and HIV. The Vice President also pointed to the Vietnamese government's resolve to free its children from epidemics and social evils. She expressed the hope that Vietnam will receive continued assistance from foreign diplomats and friends in the development of Vietnamese children. Many diplomats shared Vietnam's policy of "giving the best to children" and pledged to co-operate with the country in this domain. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Airlines� San Francisco rep office inaugurated Deputy Prime Minister Dung attended a ceremony to inaugurate a Vietnam Airlines� representative office in San Francisco, California on December 13. The deputy prime minister was on a visit to the US which began on December 9. Deputy Prime Minister Dung and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown cut the ribbon to inaugurate the office. The deputy prime minister and his entourage headed home on December 14. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Japan gives US $5 million for measles immunisation The Japanese government will provide Vietnam's health care service with 620 million Japanese Yen (US $5 million) for carrying out the national measles immunisation programme. A statement to this effect was signed in Hanoi on December 14 by Health Minister Do Nguyen Phuong of Vietnam and Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki. In an effort to help Vietnam eradicate measles by 2010, the Japanese government has pledged JPY 1.61 billion to the immunisation programme in the 2002-03 period. With the funds, 20 million under-10 Vietnamese children will be given the second measles vaccine dose. The expanded immunisation programme has so far received 4.8 million measles vaccine doses and 400,000 syringes from the Japanese government. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pledge made to help disabled people integrate into community Vietnam has pledged to help disabled people integrate into the community. The commitment was made by Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hang of Vietnam at the closing session in Hanoi on December 13 of the Campaign 2001 for Promotion of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002). Minister Hang affirmed that discussions held during the campaign were useful for nations in outlining proper and effective policies to help people with disabilities. She also took the occasion to express thanks to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), governments in the region and international organisations for having given assistance to disabled people in general and those in Vietnam in particular. Yutake Takamine, UN-ESCAP Project Expert and Representative of International Disabled People, thanked the Vietnamese government for having successfully hosted the campaign, the latest in a series of 10 such annual campaigns to raise public awareness and to mobilise support for the full participation and equality of people with disabilities. John Lancaster, director of the Office of Disability Technical Assistance of the United States, presented the Joint Statement of Campaign 2001, calling on Asian-Pacific nations to give better care to disabled people in the social and economic arenas, thus helping them to better integrate into their communities. During the three-day campaign, representatives of people with disabilities from 37 regional countries and territories reviewed the implementation of the Agenda of Action for the Asia-Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons and shared their experiences and practice in their work. They also discussed solutions to help disabled persons integrate into the community and regional initiatives and directions for follow-up action after the Decade's conclusion. Japan, the host of Campaign 2002, the last in the series, received the campaign flag from Vietnam'sOrganising Committee of Campaign 2001. On this occasion, America's Transit Sales International (TSI) Company, has donated a disabled-passenger bust to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs. (VNA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ba Ria-Vung Tau receives Labour Order Ba Ria-Vung Tau, a coastal province in the eastern region of South Vietnam and 128 kilometres north-east of Ho Chi Minh City, held a meeting to celebrate its 10th founding anniversary. In the past ten years, the Party Committee and people of Ba Ria-Vung Tau have made great efforts to overcome difficulties, recording great achievements. Ba Ria-Vung Tau is now one of the dynamic localities in the southern key economic zone, said Mr Nguyen Tuan Minh, member of the Party Central Committee and chairman of the provincial People�s Committee. The State presented the Labour Order, first class, to the province on this occasion. Prime Minister Phan Van Khai also sent a letter of congratulations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Consultative council on financial, monetary policies set up The prime minister signed a decision on December 14 on members for the Consultative Council onNational Financial, Monetary Policies. Under the decision, which came into effect on the signing day, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is the chairman of the council. The council�s eight members are leaders of eight ministries and sectors while eight more members _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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