President Sang receives newly-accredited ambassadors

President Truong Tan Sang on August 14 received the newly-appointed Ambassadors of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Argentina who came to present their credentials.

At the reception for the Korean Ambassador Jun Dae-joo, President Sang said he hopes Jun, with his experience of living 18 years in Vietnam, will have initiatives to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Sang expressed his delight at the constant development of the bilateral ties over the past years, adding that the two countries have been adopting numerous measures to enhance cooperation in economy, trade and investment.

The Korean diplomat pledged tireless efforts to bolster the multifaceted cooperative relations between Vietnam and RoK during his term in Vietnam.

While meeting with Argentinean Ambassador Claudio Ricardo Gutierrez, the State leader said he is pleased with all round cooperation between the two countries.

The visit to Vietnam by Argentinean President Cristina Fernández Kirchner early this year will forge bilateral relations, delivering practical benefits to the mutual development, Sang said.

President Sang affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will create the best possible condition for ambassador Gutierrez to fulfil his mission in Vietnam.

The Argentinean diplomat said his country regards Vietnam as a key partner in the region and vowed to do his best to foster bilateral relations.

Vietnam-Iran diplomatic ties marked in Hanoi

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association organized a meeting in Hanoi on August 14 to mark the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Iran diplomatic ties.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the Vietnam-Iran Friendship Association Dang Nhu Loi said the 40th anniversary is an important milestone in bilateral ties, which have constantly developed over the years with the exchange of visits and signing of numerous cooperation agreements in the fields of economics, culture, science and technology, aviation, shipping and agriculture.

Iranian Ambassador to Vietnam Hossein Alvandi Behineh stated that people of both nations enjoy their long-established friendship. However, people-to-people exchange and bilateral trade have yet to match both sides’ potential, he said, urging ministries and agencies of the two countries to work more closely together to improve the situation.

The same day, President of the VUFO Vu Xuan Hong awarded the Chairman of the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association, Seyyed Kamal Sajadi, the insignia “For Peace and Friendship Among Nations”.

The accolade is in recognition of his efforts to improve bilateral friendship and cooperation. Sajadi has headed the Iran-Vietnam Friendship Association since its foundation in 2002. He has given lectures on Vietnam at many universities in Iran and translated several Vietnamese books into Iranian, including “The tale of Kieu” – a classic work of Vietnamese literature.

Indian ambassador bids farewell to PM Dung

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Ranjit Rae has bidden farewell to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung before ending his term in Vietnam.

At the reception on August 14 for the outgoing Indian ambassador, PM Dung expressed his pleasure at the unceasing development of the time-honoured friendship and the Vietnam-India strategic partnership in various fields.

Vietnam wants to join hands with India to improve mutually beneficiary cooperation for the sake of peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world, Dung said.

He suggested boosting economic, trade and investment cooperation while promoting the exchange of all-level delegations and people-to-people exchange.

Both nations should strengthen links in education, culture, science-technology, national defence and security, Dung noted.

The Indian ambassador said bilateral cooperation over the past time has practically benefited both countries and pledged that he will work for the Vietnam-India friendship, no matter his future position.

Rae said Indian businesses are keen to invest more in Vietnam, especially in energy and finance, and asked the Vietnamese Government to facilitate Indian operations in the country and back the country’s Look East policy.

The same day, the Indian diplomat was also received by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.

ASEAN defines post-2015 vision

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers (AMM) Retreat has focused on the direction of the ASEAN Community beyond 2015 to ensure continued peace, stability and sustainable economic growth in the region.

The (AMM) Retreat closed on August 14 at the Hilton Hua Hin Resort, 200 km from the south of Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok.

A Vietnamese delegation led by Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended the two-day Retreat (August 13-14).

The delegation made important contributions to ASEAN’s joint efforts in building a united community which has strong political links, close economic cooperation and shared social responsibilities.

In his address at the meeting, FM Minh highlighted Vietnam’s contributions to the prosperous development of ASEAN which plays a central role in dealing with issues on peace and security in the region.

The AMM Retreat was held at the initiative of Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul with a view to discussing ways of reinforcing the regional bloc after ASEAN becomes a community by 2015.

The event provided a good opportunity for FMs to discuss how to improve ASEAN institutions to cope with global fluctuations effectively as well as ASEAN’s vision after 2015 to define orientations for a single community which ensured peace, stability and sustainable economic development in the future.

The ministers said the top priority until the end of 2015 is to well implement the plan to set up the ASEAN Community, they said, urging member countries to work harder to mobilize all resources for important cooperation programme of the association, such as the master plan on ASEAN connectivity (MPAC), the Work Plan II of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to narrow the development gap.

The member countries should also expand external relations and make full use of support from partners for the building of the Community, they said.

As for the post-2015 vision for ASEAN, the minister agreed that it should embody a long-term view, while inheriting and multiplying the achievements reached during the building of the Community from 2009 to 2015.

They discussed major principles for the vision outlining process as well as a roadmap for the work.

Other issues such as global healthcare, environmental challenges and smoke and dust clouds in the region were also touched upon.

FM Minh shared views on ASEAN orientations for its development until 2015 and beyond in which the regional grouping needs to properly implement immediate targets as a springboard for future goals in the next decades.

Minh said that in outlining a post-2015 vision, attention should be paid to lifting internal connectivity to a new height while pursuing the essential principles of ASEAN, especially the principle of consensus, and enhancing the central role of the grouping in the regional architecture.

He proposed a number of specific measures to serve the vision-building process, such as reviewing the implementation of the master plan for ASEAN Politics-Security Community, and finalising the evaluation of the implementation of the master plans for Social-Culture Community and the Economic Community.

FM Minh said following the formation of the ASEAN Community, a general assessment is necessary to define the strengths and weaknesses of the grouping.

He also suggested setting up a special taskforce to perform the work of reviewing roles and functions of ASEAN’s agencies and the association’s Charter.

The AMM Retreat is also a rendezvous for top regional diplomats to prepare for a special ASEAN-China meeting scheduled to take place later this month in Beijing.

ASEAN and China are finding ways to lift their strategic partnership to new levels marking their 10th anniversary.

ASEAN needed to forge solidarity and to harmoniously adjust national and regional interests to ensure its central role and to make positive contributions to regional peace and security, FMs stressed.

They also exchanged views on ASEAN-China relations and how to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two sides thus paving the way for the 16th ASEAN-China Summit slated for Brunei in October.

ASEAN FMs deemed that ASEAN-China link had been a most dynamic and effective partnership which had recorded cooperation achievements for mutual benefits during the past 10 years.

Besides boosting the existing ties, ASEAN and China should also further their cooperation in the 11 prioritised areas as defined before, including agriculture, information and communications technology, resource development, two-way investment, Mekong basin development, transport, energy, culture, tourism, public health and environment.

Two-way trade between the two sides hit nearly US$400 billion in 2012, while total Chinese investment in ASEAN has surpassed US$100 billion, they noted.

China has been ASEAN’s largest trade partner for many consecutive years, while the association is also China’s third biggest trade partner.

The ministers reached high consensus that in the future, the association should exert more efforts in implementing the ASEAN-China plan of action for 2011-2015 period and targeting US$500 billion in two-way trade in 2015.

The Vietnamese FM recognised the achievements and strong growth of the ASEAN-China strategic partnership over the past decade, emphasising the need to lift the ties to a new height on the basis of friendly neighbourliness and mutual benefit.

He also introduced a number of measures to further boost the ASEAN-China relations, while calling for more support from China for ASEAN’s priorities.

FM Minh said that ASEAN and China should consolidate confidence building in all fields and fully implement the signed agreements on the East Sea, including the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards the building of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Vietnam- Bulgaria’ key partner in Southeast Asia

Bulgaria and Vietnam should grasp every opportunity available to develop and strengthen bilateral relations in politics, economics, trade and investment.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin emphasized this at a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador Le Duc Luu on August 13.

Minister Vigenin said that Bulgaria can become an active factor within the partnership framework between the EU and Asian countries and a bridge between Vietnam and the EU.

For his part, Ambassador Luu said both countries should pay more attention to promoting mutual cooperation at regional and international forums.

Minister Vigenin and Ambassador Luu agreed to apply a new model of economic cooperation on trade, investment, education and culture.

Luu stressed that disseminating information about the two countries will help strengthen mutual understanding and bilateral relationship.

Judicial institute told to improve support to NA

National Assembly chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung this morning asked the Institute for Judiciary Studies to improve its staff and its capacity to better help the National Assembly with advice on the law.

Speaking at a meeting to summarise activities of the institute over the last five years, Hung applauded the institute's contributions..

However, he urged it to engage better domestic and foreign scientists so that it could become a reliable research centre and information provider by 2020.

The institute was established five years ago under the National Assembly's Standing Committee. It has answered more than 98 per cent of 16,000 inquiries from NA deputies, provided nearly 7,000 reference materials and compiled thousands of legal publications supporting the NA's activities and deputies.

Stronger defence link drives Vietnam-Poland forward

Polish Minister of National Defence Tomasz Siemoniak has made it clear that stronger bilateral defence link will drive Vietnam-Poland ties forward.

He has agreed with his Vietnamese counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh’s proposal at their talks in Warsaw on August 12 that the two countries should strengthen defence link by facilitating visits by all-level delegations.

At the same time, both sides should establish a deputy ministerial-level defence dialogue mechanism, and work together on education- training, defence industry, and exchange of information and research as well.

Minister Siemoniak also pointed to mutual trust as a foundation for the two countries’ future defence cooperation to be realised.

He stated that Vietnam plays an important role in maintaining political stability in the Asia-Pacific in general and Southeast Asia in particular -- the regions that are crucial to the world’s peace and stability.

He also expressed his support for Vietnam’s stance on settling disputes by peaceful means in line with international law. He hailed the country’s involvement in the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

He pledged that his country stands ready to bridge Vietnam and Europe and hoped that Vietnam will help connect Poland with Southeast Asia.

Minister Thanh, for his part, declared that his visit to Poland, from August 11 to 14, mirrors Vietnam’s policy of deeply integrating into global community and fostering friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with Poland specifically.

He said Vietnam attaches importance to bolstering all-sided cooperation with Poland, which according to him, shares a lot of similarities with Vietnam and holds an important position in the country’s foreign policy.

At their talks, the two ministers exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV