VNA
Hanoi voters ask for various social issues be settled
Voters in Hanoi have asked for various social issues be settled
satisfactorily and as soon as possible.
The issues include the generation of jobs for young people in the city,
worksite clearance, social order and security, and traffic safety.
The voters in Hanoi's Ba Dinh and Tay Ho precincts met with Party General
Secretary Nong Duc Manh on January10. Mr Manh is a deputy to the National
Assembly of Hanoi.
The voters raised their concern over project management, inefficient
spending, human resource training, and the exercise of democratic
regulations at grassroots level, which they described as urgent to the
country.
They were briefed on the main contents of the recently-concluded 10th
National Assembly session in which the NA assessed that despite difficulties
and challenges facing Vietnam and the world in 2001, the country had made
positive and encouraging advancements with the national economy expanding
sharply and stably.
Regarding the results of the 10th National Assembly session, the Party
leader asserted the supplements and amendments made to some articles of the
1992 Constitution aimed to raise the role and power of the legislative
agency as well as enhance the management capacity, quality, and competence
of State management agencies.
"Adhering to the basic principles and nature of the regime they should run
concurrently with improving the legal system to make it clear, transparent,
and firm for the National Assembly and State management agencies to carry
out their functions and duties properly and effectively, thus contributing
to building the socialist law-governed State of the people, by the people,
and for the people," the Party leader emphasised.
On the exercise of democratic rights at the grassroots level, General
Secretary Manh urged voters in Hanoi to promote the campaign, saying doing
the work well means taking an active step in the fight against bureaucracy
and corruption. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PM Khai praises Japan's aid
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has expressed thanks to Japan for the
assistance given to Vietnam's national construction and development.
Mr� Khai was speaking to visiting Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki of the House of
Representatives of Japan's Parliament in Hanoi on January 10.
He thanked the House of Representatives, the government, and the people of
Japan for their commitment to keep Japan's Official Development Assistance
(ODA) to Vietnam at eight per cent despite economic difficulties.
Japan's aid and ODA provision has over the past years helped Vietnam in the
construction of major works, poverty reduction, rural development and
particularly in human resource training and technology transfer.
The prime minister hailed the greater development of diplomatic ties,
increased economic trade and investment between the two countries.
Japan now leads the list of foreign investors in Vietnam with 330 projects
worth more than US $4 billion and it is Vietnam's major market with import
value chalking up US $2.5 billion in 2001, Prime Minister Khai said.
"Judged by the world community as a country of political stability, ensured
security, and hard working and intelligent people, Vietnam will seize this
opportunity to continue improving its investment environment," Mr Khai
assured Tamisuke.
The Speaker expressed the hope that the two countries will continue giving
each other important assistance after this visit.
Speaker Tamisuke has been in Vietnam for an official visit from January
9-12. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NA Chairman hopes for closer ties between Vietnam, Japanese legislative
agencies
Chairman Nguyen Van An of the National Assembly has expressed his hope for
closer ties between the legislative agencies of Vietnam and Japan.
The two legislatures should exchange their knowledge gained in judicial and
supervision activities more frequently in the near future, Mr An told
visiting Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Tamisuke Watanuki
during their talks in Hanoi on January 10.
Chairman An briefed his guest on Vietnam's major socio-economic achievements
over the past 15 years of national renewal, particularly those recorded last
year. He affirmed that Vietnam will bolster its national renewal with
on-going efforts to industrialise and modernise the nation while continuing
with the multilateralisation and diversification of external relations in
the spirit that Vietnam wishes to befriend all nations in the international
community.
The Vietnamese legislative leader highly valued Japan's active contributions
to regional and international forums and particularly its assistance to the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in human resource
development, information technology and developing poor areas of Vietnam,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar in the East-West corridor project and
the Mekong sub-region development project.
Mr An appreciated Japan's foreign policy to boost relations with Vietnam. He
pointed out the fact that Japan is Vietnam's biggest official development
assistance provider and its major trade partner.
Vietnam wishes to increase both bilaterally and multilaterally, the
long-term and mutually-beneficial relationship with Japan and to receive
further assistance from that country, especially in its efforts to join the
World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki, who began his official four-day visit to Vietnam
on January 9, spoke very favourably of the recent 10th session of the
Vietnamese National Assembly as it had made important decisions to national
development.
He noted that bilateral relations between Vietnam and Japan, particularly
between the two legislative bodies, have enjoyed many successful
developments in recent times.
"Geographic, historic and cultural similarities between the two countries
offer very favourable conditions for the continued development of successful
bilateral ties," Mr Tamisuke stressed.
He expressed his belief in Vietnam's bright future as the country has great
potential for development, an industrious and eager-to-learn people.
The Speaker affirmed Japan's priority to expand co-operative ties with ASEAN
with Vietnam being a member.
Tamisuke vowed his support to Japanese government's continued assistance and
co-operation with Vietnam for the interest and development of each nation.
On January 9, Speaker Tamisuke, his wife, and entourage paid floral tributes
to President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum.
The same day, Chairman An hosted a luncheon in honour of the Japanese
guests, who later called at Vietnam's Temple of Literature and first
National University or Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam welcomes establishment of interim government in Afghanistan:
spokesperson
Vietnam welcomes the establishment of the interim government in Afghanistan
led by Hamid Karzai, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said in Hanoi
on January 10.
Ms Phan Thuy Thanh was answering local and foreign correspondents' questions
on Vietnam's position toward the recent establishment of the Afghan interim
government and her intention to assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Ms Thanh further said Vietnam considers the move as an important start for
the process of peace, national reconciliation, and reconstruction of
Afghanistan, reflecting the aspiration of the Afghan people of all levels
and ethnic groups.
Vietnam welcomes the efforts by the international community to help the
Afghan people overcome serious difficulties, stabilise their lives, and
rebuild their country, the diplomat added.
"The Vietnamese people sympathise with and share the sorrows and
difficulties currently endured by the Afghan people. Vietnam will in its
capacity consider the provision of assistance to the Afghan people," the
spokesperson affirmed. (VNA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNESCO recognises Cat Tien National Garden as world biosphere reserve
Cat Tien National Garden which is located within an area of three provinces
of Lam Dong, Dong Nai anh Binh Phuoc, has been recognised by the Man and the
Biosphere (MAB) program of UNESCO as a world biosphere reserve.
This is Vietnam�s second biosphere reserve (the first one is the Can Gio
mangrove forest) and the world�s 441st site.
Cat Tien National Garden is the only place in Vietnam and the second in the
world where one-horn rhinos live.
Later this year, a suspension bridge across Dong Nai river will be built so
that it will be easier for visitors to visit this biosphere reserve.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sustainable use of biodiversity discussed in Hanoi
Biologists from 30 countries gathered in Hanoi on January 9 to discuss
measures for sustainable use of biodiversity.
The seminar was held by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in
co-ordination with the Biodiversity Convention and the Ministry of Science,
Technology and Environment.
After ratifying the Convention in October 1994, Vietnam has introduced
practical activities in the implementation of the convention. The Vietnamese
government has shown concern about how to ensure sustainable use of
biodiversity, especially during the process of national industrialisation
and modernisation to prevent wasteful exploitation of natural resources and
environmental pollution.
Vietnam is placed among 16 countries which have the largest biodiversity in
the world and is given priority in biodiversity protection.
The country has about 12,000 species of plant, 620 species of mushrooms and
820 species of moss.
It has 275 species of mammal, 826 species of bird, 180 species of reptile,
80 species of amphibian, around 5,000 species of fish and 12,000 species of
insect.
The world discovered 10 new species of mammal in the 90s, including four in
Vietnam. (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]
__________________________________________________
