Vietnam cheers Japan’s LDP victory

Vietnam congratulates Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on its victory in the recent House of Representatives election, said Luong Thanh Nghi, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson.

President of the Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party Shinzo Abe. (Photo: VNA)

Nghi made the statement on December 17 in response to reporters’ question on Vietnam’s opinion of the election result.

He said Vietnam believes that under the leadership of LDP, Japan will continue to develop, and the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership will be further strengthened, meeting the two peoples’ interest and aspiration and contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world.

Lawyers urged to protect the people

The Vietnam Bar Federation should ensure member lawyers protect people’s legal rights, President Truong Tan Sang said at a meeting with the association on December 17.

Over the years, the association has taken an active role in the Government’s national programme on administrative reforms, providing advice on several drafted amendments within the Criminal Procedure Code.

Since the bar was established in 2009, about 7,600 lawyers nationwide have become members. From 2007-2011, lawyers worked on more than 64,000 criminal cases.  

However, Sang said that the bar should continue working on improving the human resources quality of lawyers. He also noted that the number of lawyers taking part in procedures for criminal cases has been limited to about 9-10 percent.

The bar recommended the Government and the Party consider amending the Criminal Procedure Code to increase lawyers’ role and ensure that the bar federation and lawyers’ associations could fully cooperate with Government authorities.

Congratulations conveyed to Lithuanian leaders

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung extended his congratulations to Algirdas Butkevicius, the newly elected Prime Minister of Lithuania, yesterday, Dec 17.

The same day, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent a congratulatory message to the European country's newly-elected Foreign Minister, Linas Antanas Linkevicius.

Vietnam, Poland strengthen legislative ties

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung met with the Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Polish Sejm (Lower House of the Polish parliament), Grzgorz Schetyna, in Hanoi on December 17.

Applauding Schetyna’s visit, Hung said it will significantly contribute to strengthening the cooperation and coordination between the two parliaments, as well as the traditional and long-lasting friendship between the two countries and peoples.

Expressing his delight with the two parliaments’ increased cooperative activities in recent years, he said he hopes the legislative bodies will coordinate closely in multilateral parliamentary forums and strengthen delegation and experience exchanges, while boosting cooperation in law making and other parliamentary issues.

In reply, Schetyna applauded Vietnam’s achievements in various areas.

He briefed his host on the outcomes of his working sessions with the NA Commission for External Relations, affirming that the two sides agreed to foster cooperation and step up the exchange of knowledge to develop legislative systems and parliamentary external relations.

Police asked to maintain national order

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged police forces to ensure security and order in all fields and areas, and put a stop to acts of public disorder incitement, and information and psychological battles hatched by hostile forces to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty.

At the 68 th national congress of police in Hanoi on December 17, Dung called on the police to prevent the establishment of oppositional political organisations that conspire to sabotage national construction and defence, and go against the interest of the country and people, noting it was one of the force’s main tasks in 2013.

Dung also pointed out existing challenges faced by the country, including an increase in crimes related to drugs, terrorism, and women and child trafficking, which according to him require the police’s serious consideration to propose sound measures that will resolve them.

He asked the sector to pay due attention to the Party and forces building, considering it a decisive factor to successfully implement its political mission.

This year, the police solved over 37,000 criminal cases, put an end to 2,785 criminal gangs, and successfully rescued all hostages in blackmail situations.

They gave priority was given to combating economic and hi-tech crimes, detecting 11,620 economic offences and 324 incidents of corruption. They also handled 17,823 drug cases and arrested 26,135 smugglers, seizing 690kg of heroin and hundreds of thousands of methamphetamine pills.

President sends condolences to US over shooting rampage

President Truong Tan Sang on December 17 expressed his condolences to US President Barack Obama over the December 14 shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the state of Connecticut that killed 20 kids and six adults.

He offered his deepest sympathy to the US president and people, especially families of the victims, expressing his hope that Obama and the US people will soon overcome the losses.

VNN/VNS/VNA