Vietnam, RoK push for increased environmental cooperation

Seoul – Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have agreed to broaden bilateral cooperation in environmental protection which has concerned both governments.

The agreement was reached at the sixth Vietnam-RoK environment ministers’ conference held in Seoul on June 20, where the two countries underscored the importance of increased bilateral environmental cooperation to sustainable development.

Accordingly, the cope of the two countries’ future environmental cooperation will cover the sharing of experiences and information and the transfer of technology related to the protection and treatment of environmental pollution.

The two delegations to the conference also pledged to join efforts at international, regional and sub-regional environment-related forums, exchange viewpoints and consult each other on environment-related issues of mutual concern.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen, apart from attending the conference, held talks with his RoK counterpart, Lee Maan-ee, affirming that environmental cooperation has been boosted along with the two countries’ mainstream cooperation.

The Vietnamese minister admitted that industrialisation has imposed great challenges to the country’s environment, requiring the undertaking of strategic renewals and breakthroughs and international cooperation.

He said the environment is one of the potential fields to be tapped by both countries, expressing hope for learning from RoK’s experiences in industrialisation.

Since 2004, the Vietnamese and RoK environment ministries have coordinated with related ministries and agencies to carry out many cooperative projects related to the environment.

Apart from signing a number of agreements, the two sides have initiated some big projects, including the project to build an environmental training centre in Vietnam with RoK’s ODA, the project to set up an air environment observing system, and the project to develop an E-manifest system to manage electronic wastes in Vietnam.

Vietnam respects int’l laws and UN Charter

New York – The Vietnamese representative to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) emphasised the unchanged position of the Vietnamese Government concerning the issue of Kosovo, which reflects the country’s respect for the most fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter.

The Vietnamese representative to the UNSC, Ambassador Le Luong Minh made the statement at the debate on the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s report on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in New York on June 20.

The Vietnamese diplomat took this opportunity to commend the tireless efforts undertaken by the UN Secretary-General in seeking a comprehensive and lasting solution to the issue of Kosovo.

Ambassador Minh also recognised the Secretary-General’s recommendation to adjust the international civil presence in Kosovo to commensurate with the current situation.

However, he reiterated that any change or reconfiguration of UNMIK in Kosovo will require a new decision of the Security Council in accordance with its Resolution 1244 as well as the consent of all parties concerned.

The Vietnamese representative reaffirmed his country’s consistent position that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States must be fully respected.

He called on all concerned parties to refrain from actions to resume dialogue and negotiations to seek a comprehensive and lasting solution to the issue of Kosovo so as to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of all communities in Kosovo.

National Assembly Chairman begins Bulgaria visit

Sophia – Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and a high-level delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam began an official friendship visit to Bulgaria on June 20 at the invitation of Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Georghi Pirinski.

Chairman Trong met with a delegation from the Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Association headed by its President Simeon Dimchev right after his arrival.

The Vietnamese NA Chairman hailed the Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Association for its significant contributions to boosting understanding between people of the two countries.

He expressed his wish that the association would expand its operations, promote the image of Vietnam to the Bulgarian people and be a bridge to introduce Bulgaria to the Vietnamese people.

The same day, Chairman Trong met with Vietnamese Embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Bulgaria . He stressed that Vietnam always attached importance to traditional relations with Bulgaria and said he believed that cooperative relations between the two countries would be further developed.

On June 21, Chairman Trong and his delegation visited some economic and cultural establishments in Veliko Turnovo region.

Some 10 billion VND raised for Chinese and Myanmar disaster victims

Hanoi (VNA) – Up to June 19, almost 10 billion VND had been raised from agencies, businesses, organisations and individuals nationwide in response to a fundraising campaign of the Vietnam Red Cross to support victims of an earthquake in China and cyclone Nargis in Myanmar .

The Vietnamese government had earlier provided 200,000 USD in emergency aid to China and another 200,000 USD to Myanmar .

According to Chinese government’s statistics, the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southwest Sichuan province on May 12 caused an estimated death toll of 68,100 and injured more than 364,500 others.

Meanwhile, cyclone Nargis, which tore through Myanmar in early May, killed an estimated 78,000 people, left 56,000 missing and caused 11 billion USD in damage.

Vietnam, UK boosts judiciary cooperation

London – Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong has concluded a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to promote bilateral justice cooperation.

Minister Cuong said that the June 17-20 visit aimed to concretise one of four cooperation contents stated in the Vietnam-UK Joint Statement signed during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the UK in early March 2008.

The Minister said the visit helped lay a foundation for long-term cooperation between the two ministries and two countries’ legal agencies to enhance bilateral dialogues, share experiences in law building and judicial reform, and introduce legal building policies. The training of qualified lawyers for the development of Vietnam ’s market economy was also discussed.

While in the UK , the Vietnamese delegation held talks with Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw and a number of senior officials of the Ministry of Justice, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Trade, Court and the Parliament of the UK .

Both sides discussed and agreed to conduct negotiations for the signing of a treaty on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters.

Country attains 6.6 percent GDP growth in six months

Hanoi – Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh on June 21 informed that the country is likely to attain a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of between 6.6-6.7 percent in the first months of this year.

The rate helps ensure the targeted growth for the whole year of 7 percent set by the National Assembly, the Deputy Minister added.

He quoted preliminary statistics that the country attracted 31.6 billion USD in foreign investment in the reviewed period, as against 21.3 billion USD of the whole 2007.

The official said the figure proved that foreign investors remained confident in Vietnam ’s social and political stability and qualified human resources.

Also in six months, the country earned 29.7 billion USD from exports, a year-on-year increase of 31.8 percent.

Consumer price index increased only 2.2 percent in June.

Farmers nationwide have harvested a bumper winter-spring crop, bringing agricultural growth to nearly 3 percent.