VN signs visa exemption agreement with Estonia

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Estonian counterpart Urmas Paet signed an agreement to give visa exemptions to diplomatic passport holders on Friday in New York.

The new policy, which makes it easier for diplomats to move between the two countries, represents a step forward in bilateral ties.

The same day, Minh met with his counterparts from Djibouti and Papua New Guinea to seek progress in bilateral ties as well as support for Viet Nam's candidacy for the United Nations Human Right Council in 2014-2016.

Vietnam, South Africa intensify judicial cooperation

A delegation of the National Assembly Committee for Legal Affairs paid a working visit to South Africa from September 22-27 to seek cooperation opportunities between the two countries in the judicial sector.

In Pretoria, the Vietnamese delegation, led by Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Hien, held a working session with Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development John Jeffery, who said the visit would strengthen the friendship between the two legislative bodies.

Jeffery expressed his hope to foster cooperation in legislation and justice with Vietnam.

In Cape Town, the Vietnamese guests held talks with Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development Luwellyn Landers.

At the meetings, the delegation heard about how South Africa’s law-making bodies operate and reform the judicial system.

Fatherland Front delegation visits Cuba

A Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) delegation led by Secretary General Vu Trong Kim, has attended the 8th Congress of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) during its working visit to Cuba from September 25–28.

Kim met with CDR National Coordinator Carlos Rafael Miranda, discussing the social roles of their respective organisations and their work to build and defend their countries.

Miranda briefed his guest on the congress’s agenda, saying the CDR will set future orientations to promote its role in firmly defending the revolution and realizing Party resolutions.

For his part, Kim highlighted Vietnam- Cuba special friendship and expressed hope the VFF and CDR will extend their contributions to reinforcing bilateral solidarity.

Kim said he believes the Cuban Communist Party’s leadership will usher in future socio-economic development success.

The VFF delegation also visited Cuba’s National Assembly headquarters to meet with NA Committee for External Relations Chairwoman Yolanda Ferrer.

Ferrer described Vietnam as an exemple of past national independence struggles and present national construction and development.  

VFF Secretary General Vu Trong Kim affirmed the Vietnamese Party’s commitment to reinforcing solidarity and cooperation with Cuba.

The VFF delegation also celebrated the CDR’s 53rd anniversary, visited its revolutionary museums, and toured the Latin American School of Medicine and Vo Thi Thang Primary School.

Viet Nam, Belgium agree to widen business co-operation

Viet Nam and Belgium have agreed to encourage and create favourable conditions for their businesses to co-operate in areas such as seaports and logistics services, transport, and technology.

The agreement was reached during talks between visiting Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai and his Belgian counterpart Van de Lanotte in Brussels on Thursday.

The two sides held in-depth discussion and reached consensus on measures to further bilateral co-operation, including increasing the exchange of all-level delegations and enhancing co-ordination in organising activities to mark the 40th anniversary of the two nations' diplomatic ties.

They agreed that the second session of the Viet Nam-Belgium Joint Committee on Economic Co-operation will be held next month and to continue with joint projects within the framework of the 2011-15 Development Orientation Programme.

They signed two memoranda of understanding on building policies to renovate and develop business training establishments, and implementing a project to improve the quality of medical waste treatment in Ha Noi.

During his three-day visit that ended yesterday, Hai also attended working sessions with the Vice President of the European Commission (EC) responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship Antonio Tajani and EC Trade Commissioner Karen De Gucht.

The two sides expressed willingness to work for the signing of the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2014.

Deputy PM in Italy

Prior to his Belgium visit, the Deputy PM paid an official visit to Italy from September 23-25.

He held talks with Italian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, and met with Minister of Economy and Finance Fabrizio Saccomanni and Minister of Economic Development Flavio Zanonato.

The Italian hosts spoke of their wishes to further develop the Viet Nam-Italy strategic partnership, especially in regard to the two countries celebrating the 40th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic ties.

The two sides agreed to create favourable conditions for their businesses to meet each other to seek partners, focusing on those fields where Viet Nam has demands and Italy holds advantages.

They signed an action plan to implement the Joint Statement on the establishment of the Viet Nam-Italy strategic partnership in the 2013-14 period, designed to further deepen bilateral cooperation in the key areas of politics-diplomacy, economics, culture-education, defence and agriculture.

They also inked an action programme on cultural cooperation for the 2013-16 period.

UNFPA calls for action to stop gender discrimination

The Viet Nam Women's Union (VWU) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Viet Nam held a seminar highlighting the necessity of joint actions to protect girls in Ha Noi on Friday, Sep 27.

Addressing the event, VWU Vice President Tran Thi Huong said only 100 girls were born for every 112.3 boys. If no change is made, 10 percent of male adults in Viet Nam will not be able to find partners by 2035.

Le Thi Phuong Thuy, from the Women Development Centre, said more than 600 women that have suffered from domestic violence have come to the centre since it was established in 2007;

Participants at the event also discussed measures to combat chauvinism in society and pointed out practical activities to protect women and achieve gender equality.

Vietnam elected to WIPO’s Programme & Budget Committee

Vietnam has been elected for the first time to the Programme and Budget Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) for the 2013-15 term, a Vietnamese official has said.

Speaking in Geneva on September 27 on the sidelines of the 51 st WIPO General Assembly, Ta Quang Minh, Director General of the National Office of Intellectual Property further said that since becoming a WIPO member, Vietnam has actively participated in the WIPO development programme’s projects, raising its role in the community, he said.

He presented two projects within the programme framework, namely intellectual property and trademark building for business development in developing and underdeveloped countries, and approaching professional databases.

WIPO has provided assistance to improve capacity of Vietnam’s intellectual property system every year, he said.

Vietnamese, Cambodian provinces discuss humanitarian cooperation

Provincial leaders of Dak Nong in Vietnam and Mondulkiri in Cambodia have held a meeting to share their experiences in implementing humanitarian initiatives.

The September 27 meeting reviewed recent humanitarian operations and discussed solutions for future cooperation in this area.

The delegates agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding on humanitarian and charitable activities. The two provinces will coordinate in providing aid, medical treatment and medicine to local residents. They will encourage voluntary blood donations and improve community disaster prevention awareness.

Voters have their say ahead of NA

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong met with voters in Tay Ho and Hoan Kiem districts on Saturday in preparation for the sixth session of the National Assembly scheduled to start next month.

Voters said they hoped that during the upcoming session, the land law would be amended so that land management would be strengthened, contributing to the national fight against corruption. They also anticipated new policies on rational compensation and resettlement support.

As for macro-economic management, voters questioned the efficiency of the restructuring of State-owned enterprises and complained that corruption remained rampant, State officials were not as efficient as they could be and jobs were being created too slowly.

Trong took note of their ideas, especially those on mass mobilisation, religious work, the building of administrations at various levels and grassroots inspections. He affirmed that the Party and State were determined to combat corruption and wastefulness.

The Party chief also briefed voters on the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, the situation in the East Sea and the Party and State's stance on solving the disputes and maintaining peace in the sea while safeguarding the country's independence and sovereignty over the sea and islands.

On the same day, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung travelled to the central province of Ha Tinh to inspect the Vung Ang Economic Zone and listen to the thoughts and proposals of voters there.

Hung said the Government had introduced measures to promote industrial and economic zones nationwide, including in Vung Ang, the industrial hub of the north-central region.

Local voters expressed pleasure at the positive changes made to the NA's law-making and supervisory procedures.

They asked authorities in Ha Tinh Province and Ky Anh District, home to the economic zone, to provide more vocational training, especially for labourers working in industrial development. They also requested that authorities do more to improve living conditions and job prospects for people living in resettlement areas.

The Chairman agreed that Ky Anh must pay more attention to site clearance and the resettlement of residents throughout construction developments in the district.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA