Vietnam supports settling disputes through peaceful means

Vietnam is keen to resolve East Sea disputes, including those related to its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, through peaceful means in accordance with international law.

Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet, Deputy Head of the Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Law and Treaties, made this affirmation at the London International Boundary Conference on April 19.

Nguyet praised regional countries for their positive contributions to maintaining peace and stability, and ensuring maritime freedom and safety in the East Sea.

Vietnam is continuing negotiations with regional countries to deal with sea disputes. It has joined hands with other ASEAN countries to create many important documents such as the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN Declaration on Six-point Principles on the East Sea, while urging the early finalization of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

Vietnam pledges to maintain peace and stability in the region and not threaten or use force, which would further complicate the situation. It respects the right to maritime freedom and is willing to work together with the other parties concerned to ensure maritime security and safety for boats and ships operating in the East Sea in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), said Nguyet.

The Vietnamese representative said Vietnam has sufficient historical and legal evidence to prove its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands, which the country occupied peacefully in the 17th century and has since exercised jurisdiction over them.

Concerning technical difficulties in seeking solutions for boundary demarcation, Henry Bensurto, Jr., Senior Special Assistant to the Philippines Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs, said China’s claim to sovereignty within the so called “nine-dotted line” is illegal according to international law, especially the UNCLOS.

Director of the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore, Professor Robert Beckman, stated that articles in the UNCLOS related to the settlement of disputes play a crucial role in seeking a comprehensive solution to the current East Sea issues.

Vietnam slams EP’s human rights resolution

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 19 refuted a European Parliament resolution on human rights in Vietnam.

The resolution, dated April 18, 2013, has provided false information and statement on the real situation of human rights in Vietnam, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi told the media.

The move goes against the trend of frank dialogue and openness in the field of human rights which has been developed and conducted frequently between Vietnam and EU mechanisms, negatively affecting the development and the growing relationship between Vietnam and the EU, said Nghi.

PM to attend ASEAN Summit in Brunei

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will lead a high-ranking delegation to attend the 22nd ASEAN Summit to be held in Brunei on April 24-25.

Themed “Our People, Our Future Together”, the summit will focus on ASEAN’s orientations and priorities in 2013, as well as its orientations for the period from now until 2015 and the years beyond.

ASEAN leaders will examine ways to accelerate the building of the ASEAN Community and uphold the grouping’s central role in addressing regional issues in the evolving regional structure.

Viet Nam, Denmark boost scientific research

Experts yesterday proclaimed science and technology as a key field in the ongoing co-operation between Viet Nam and Denmark during an annual meeting of the two countries' pilot Research Co-operation Programme.

Five projects of the programme have been implemented helping Viet Nam to adapt to climate change, rising sea levels and declining water resources.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh hailed the programme for the way it has benefited the Vietnamese science-technology community in their response to major issues facing the region.

Danish Ambassador to Viet Nam John Nielsen declared that Denmark would continue to work with Viet Nam in many fields.

As well as science and technology, new co-operation programmes between the two countries will focus on green growth and new energy, which are areas in which Denmark has made great strides in recent years.

Health minister questioned on hospital overcrowding

Reducing hospital over crowding, tightening hospital transfers and managing health insurance funds were among the hot topics raised by National Assembly (NA) deputies for Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the question-and-answer session yesterday.

Tien admitted that hospital transfers were believed to be the biggest cause for hospital overcrowding and overspending of health insurance funds over the past time.

Around 60 per cent of patients come to be examined and treated in central-level hospitals, she said.

Lacks of faith in examination treatment quality at local-level hospitals was blamed for the situation, she added.

To reduce the hospital transfers, the ministry plans to operate a family-doctor programme for healthcare centre in communes, she said.

Doctors working at commune-level healthcare centres will participate in family-doctor training courses, she said.

The family doctors will provide first aid for patients, patients are only transferred to central-level hospitals if they diagnosed with serious diseases and illnesses, she said.

In response to NA deputies' question on the examination and treatment for people aged over 75, Tien said that the ministry will ask hospitals to set up new areas and install equipment for them in the future.

Vietnam, Ukraine boost all-around links

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara Oleksandr has affirmed that his country always treasures traditional friendship with Vietnam in its external policy.

While receiving Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Ho Dac Minh Nguyet in Kiev on April 16, Leonid Kozhara Oleksandr said he hopes the two nations will continue the exchange of all-level delegations and make thorough preparations for the 14 th meeting of the Vietnam – Ukraine Inter-Governmental Committee on economic, trade, scientific and technological cooperation later this year.

He stressed the need to take specific measures to bolster economic and trade ties to match the two countries’ political relations.

Nguyet highly valued the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s role in developing bilateral ties.

She suggested the Minister work with Ukraine ’s relevant agencies to remove obstacles to Vietnam’s tra fish exports into the country and the issuance of personal papers to a number of Vietnamese citizens living in Kharkov and Odessa.

The Vietnamese diplomat conveyed Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh’s invitation to Leonid Kozhara Oleksandr to visit Vietnam. He accepted it with pleasure.

High percentage of female deputies in Vietnam parliament

Women account for 24.4 percent of the total deputies in the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA), ranking it second only to Laos in Southeast Asia, reported the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

According to the UNDP’s latest Human Development Report themed “The rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World”, the top 10 countries with highest percentage of women in parliament include Rwanda (51.9 percent), Andorra, Cuba, Sweden, the Seychelles, Senegal, South Africa, Nicaragua and Iceland.

In terms of the gender inequality index, Vietnam is ranked 48th globally.

Deputy PM meets with Vietnam Christian Mission

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting people’s rights to religious and belief freedom, and asked Christian dignitaries and followers to be more united and support each other to ensure social welfare and further develop the country.

Phuc, who is also a Politburo Member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), made the remarks at a reception in Hanoi on April 17 for representatives of the Vietnam Christian Mission’s Executive Board.

He said that the Party, State and Government highly value the contributions of religious dignitaries and followers in general and pastors and followers of the mission in particular to national construction and defence.

He also praised the efforts made by the mission together with people nationwide over the past years in reducing poverty, building new-style cultural families and joining charitable activities.

An Executive Board representative affirmed that the mission will continue nurturing the solidarity among its believers and strictly abide by the country’s policies and laws on religion and belief.

The mission now has more than 31,000 followers, with 48 pastors, 168 missionaries, 5 churches, 83 oratories and 200 groups in 14 localities across the country.

Cuba’s Giron victory marked in HCM City

A ceremony was held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 18 to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Giron victory of Cuba (April 19, 1961-2013).

The event, which was organised by the Union of Friendship Associations and Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association of HCM City, was attended by representatives from the city government, the Command of Military Zone 7, the Cuban consulate general in the city, and Cuban expatriates working and living in the city and southern provinces.

Addressing the event, Dao Thi Hoai Thanh, a member of the city’s Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, said that the Cuban people has gained many achievements in their cause of building and protecting the country over the past 52 years despite the embargo.

Progressive people in the world, including Vietnamese people, always stand side by side with the Cuban people, Thanh stressed.

Cuban Consul General Gabrien Perez Tarrau said the Giron victory is very important to Cuba and has effects on the future of the Latin America.

Things are changing, but the Cuban revolution remains strong and firm, he said, adding that it is the same with the friendship and solidarity between Cuba and Vietnam.

ASEAN vows to eliminate violence against women

ASEAN strongly backs efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women.

Le Hoai Trung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, voiced the bloc’s view at the UN Security Council’s annual open debate on women, peace and security in New York on April 17.

This year’s debate reviewed the annual report on conflict-related sexual violence made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

At the function, Trung affirmed ASEAN’s persistent stance of enhancing close cooperation with international community and the UN to combat violence against women in all spheres, especially conflict-related sexual violence.

He cited the Declaration on the Advancement of Women in ASEAN in 1988, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in ASEAN in 2004, and ASEAN Human Rights Declaration in 2012 to support his view.

ASEAN member countries have established legal frameworks and implemented policies in accordance with related resolutions of the UN Security Council to further promote social status and social welfare for women and girls, and root out all forms of violence against women, particularly sexual violence, Trung added.

This is the first time the ten-nation group has delivered a speech on the topic at the UN Security Council.

Earlier, in October 2009, the UN Security Council approved the Resolution 1889 compiled by Vietnam when it played the council’s rotating Chair.

The resolution has helped raise a sense of responsibility of the council and UN member states in protecting women and girls during armed conflicts.

Vietnam, Mexico look to stronger trade ties

Vietnam and Mexico have vowed to further promote multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries in the time to come for the benefit of the two peoples.

The pledge was made by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and Mexican senior officials, including Undersecretary of Commerce and Trade Ignacio Navarro Zermano and Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee for the Asia-Pacific, Senator Teofilo Torres Corzo during the former’s visit to the Latin American country from April 15-17.

Anh suggested Mexico soon recognise Vietnam as a market economy and establish the Inter-Governmental Joint Committee to direct bilateral economic, trade and investment links.

He also recommended the signing of a framework agreement on trade and investment, thus providing all possible favourable conditions for the two countries’ enterprises.

The Mexican side agreed with Vietnam ’s above-mentioned proposals.

They underscored the importance of Vietnam , an emerging economy in the Asia-Pacific, to which the Mexican Government is striving to take a closer approach.

The host leaders also hailed Vietnam ’s great achievements in national construction, especially in poverty reduction in combination with social policies and environmental protection.

During the visit, Anh and his entourage toured historical and cultural sites, and visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Mexico City before paying a working visit to Panama on April 17.

Thoughtful comments on Constitution amendments

Individuals and organisations both at home and abroad have by far contributed over 26 million comments on the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution since the poll was launched three months ago.

It was reported to the National Assembly Standing Committee at its 17 th session, which closed in Hanoi on April 17.

The report on the work said the people generally agreed with the draft amendments to the Constitution presented by the Committee for compilation of draft amendments to the Constitution.

They gave detailed, thoughtful, and constructive feedback on the chapters, clauses and articles of the draft amendments.

At their session, from April 9-17, the legislators ratified the amended Laws on Land and Science and Technology, the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and the Law on amendments and supplements to a Number of Articles of the Corporate Tax Law.

Overall, they consented to the Government’s report on the 2011 State budget balance sheet.

They also commented on the negotiations and signing of a Government-level agreement on tackling free immigration and unlicensed marriages of those living along Vietnam – Laos border.

Source: VOV/VNA/VNS