Community-based care for HIV-affected children

– About 300 orphans and HIV-affected children in Hanoi will receive comprehensive care from a project conducted by the Women Union Central Committee between April 2008 and September 2009.

The project aims to strengthen community-based care for orphans and HIV-affected children in Hanoi’s three outlying districts of Dong Anh, Gia Lam and Long Bien.

The project also aims to provide training for 75 percent of the children’s carers and at least 20 adoption couples learning child caring skills.

The project, conducted by Women HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Centre (WARC), “For Bright Tomorrow” network and the Doctors of the World. applies a community-based care model (the Mama+ Model) that helps families access counseling and employment services as well as training in caring for children with HIV/AIDS.

WARC Director Nguyen Thi Hoa Binh said the project is the basis of developing a comprehensive care model for orphans and HIV-affected children in Vietnam.-

RoK publishes book on President Ho Chi Minh

Seoul (VNA) – Republic of Korea (RoK) publishing house Woong Jin has released a book on Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh called “Stories about Uncle Ho.”

Through the 156-page book, author Cho Young-gun introduces young RoK readers to the life and work of President Ho, or Uncle Ho, and highlights famous events attached to Vietnam’s historical landmarks.

Although President Ho has passed away, he always lies in the heart of all the Vietnamese people as a great hero of the nation as well as the world, Cho Young-gun writes in the introduction of the book.

He said he hoped the book and the great example of President Ho Chi Minh will provide RoK teenagers with useful lessons.

E-room, another RoK publisher, has also printed the “Dang Thuy Tram’s Diary”. The diary of a young, female Vietnamese doctor who sacrifices her life for her country, the book has made a strong impression among RoK readers.–

State President meets with Chinese leaders

State President Nguyen Minh Triet on August 7 had working sessions with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Jia Qinglin.

Earlier, President Triet arrived in Bejing to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games scheduled for August 8.

Host and guest emphasised the constantly developed friendship and mutual cooperation between China and Vietnam , that was fostered by President Ho Chi Minh and President Mao Zedong.

They said the fine development of political relations between the two nations and the regular exchange of high-ranking visits have helped strengthen the mutual understanding and trust and expand multifaceted cooperation.

The bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation has rapidly developed and the border issue has been actively addressed. The cooperation between the two countries’ ministries and localities has been furthered, they said.

The Chinese leaders thanked the Vietnamese people for their assistance to earthquake victims in Sichuan .

They also praised Vietnam ’s efforts in successfully organising the Olympic Torch Relay in Ho Chi Minh City , saying it constituted contributions to the success of the 2008 Olympic Games.

The two leaders agreed to ensure border demarcation and landmark planting are completed by the end of this year as scheduled.

They said the clear definition of a borderline between the two countries is important to ensuring stability for development in the border area, boosting the two countries’ friendship and making contributions to peace, stability and development in the region.

The two leaders said persistently negotiating the East Sea issue and seeking long-term solutions for both sides will help maintain peace and stability in the region.

They agreed to further boost economic, trade, investment and tourism cooperation as well as to increase the exchange between ministries, agencies and localities of the two countries.

President Triet again offered his invitation to visit Vietnam to Party General Secretary-and-State President Hu Jintao and Chairman Jia Qinglin.-

US congressmen explore HCM City’s infrastructure

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Tai introduced his city’s socio-economic development as well as transportation and infrastructure situation to a visiting US Congressional delegation at an August 7 reception.

Illinois Democratic Congressman Jerry Costello, who is also member of the US House of Representative’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told the host that his delegation’s visit aimed to explore the country’s transportation and infrastructural facilities to work out their cooperation projects.

“The city’s transportation and infrastructure development have failed to catch up with the city’s growing population which has exceeded 8 million, causing severe traffic jams and degrading environment,” Tai said.

The city’s authority also answered US Congressmen’s questions on the city’s traffic projects and income from investment in building subways and compensations for site clearance and resettlement.-

Ties with US congressional legislative staff hailed

A senior Vietnamese diplomat spoke highly of the contributions made by members of the US’s Congressional Legislative Staff Association to boosting cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador to the US Le Cong Phung made the remark during his meeting with around 80 members of the association in Washington DC on August 7. The meeting was aimed at fostering multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in general and the two legislative bodies in particular.

The ambassador recalled Vietnam’s outstanding achievements over the past 20 years of renewal, which, he said, has helped the country rise out of the ashes of wars to become a bright spot in socio-economic development, capable of luring more and more foreign investors, including those from the US.

Representatives from the Congressional Legislative Staff Association highly valued the progress in Vietnam-US relations and committed to making further efforts for the benefits of the two people.-

Leaders congratulate Singapore on National Day

– State President Nguyen Minh Triet on August 8 sent a message of congratulations to Singaporean President S. R. Nathan on the 43th anniversary of Singapore’s National Day (August 9).

The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung cabled a congratulatory message to his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Long.

Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem also extended congratulations to Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeo.-

State President meets other leaders at Olympic Games

State President Nguyen Minh Triet held bilateral meetings with leaders of various countries in Beijing on August 8 as they all gathered in China ’s capital city for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

President Triet met with Lao State President Choummaly Sayasone and suggested the two countries’ leaders increase instructions for effective implementation of cooperation programmes, especially in economics.

He said the two countries need to discuss directly and openly any problems that may arise during the implementation of those cooperation projects.

The Vietnamese president also met with Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar who expressed eagerness to bolster economic ties with Vietnam .

President Enkhbayar wants the two countries’ inter-government cooperation committee to work harder for new initiatives to further bilateral economic cooperation. He also wants to see President Triet to visit Mongolia soon.

At the meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, President Triet said Vietnam wants to cooperate with Albania for mutual development.

The Albanian PM said his country wants to open an embassy in Hanoi and invite Vietnamese businesses to invest in various areas in Albania , including hydroelectricity.

He proposed the two countries cooperate in education, science and technology and economy.

The same day, President Triet met with Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the King of Cambodia Sihamoni, Brazilian President Lula Da Silva, Swis President Pascal Couchepin, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, and President of the Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Yong-nam.-

PM asks corporations to help with reining in inflation

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 8 called on State corporations and economic groups to join in the nation’s continuous efforts to rein in inflation.

At his working session with leaders of these economic groups in Hanoi, PM Dung asked economic giants to ensure supply of essential commodities, including power, petroleum, steel, fertiliser, coal, cement, and food.

The Government leader requested State corporations and economic groups exert their greatest efforts to fulfill assigned tasks to contribute to stabilising the national economy.

Though facing difficulties in the past seven months, especially petroleum price hikes, State corporations and economic groups have worked toward reducing production costs and accelerating exports to help reduce inflation, ensure social welfare and maintain economic growth rate, the PM noted.

The PM also asked State economic groups and corporations to focus on boosting production and consumption, ensuring the balance of goods supply and demand, and speeding up exports in order to fulfill, and even surpass, the set target.

Economic groups and corporations are allowed to get involved in multi-sector businesses, but have to focus on their major industry, the PM said.

According to the Steering Committee of Enterprise Development and Renovation, though facing difficulties in the first half of the year, seven economic groups and 11 corporations established under the PM’s decision No. 91, and 65 others established under the PM’s decision No. 90, still surpassed set targets.

These enterprises posted a total revenue of 519 trillion VND, a year-on-year increase of 43 percent, and fulfilled 60 percent of the year’s target.

Their total pre-tax profit accounted for 52.4 percent of the year’s target with 77.4 trillion VND, a year-on-year 55 percent rise.

The total contribution to the State budget was 79 trillion VND, a rise of 56.3 percent over the same period last year, and equivalent to 64.8 percent of the set target.-

Vietnam concerned about South Ossetian conflict

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has voiced deep concern about the accelerated Georgian-South Ossestian conflict that led to numerous fatalities and injuries.

Addressing the UNSC’s emergency meeting on August 8, Ambassador Le Luong Minh held that the use of force cannot resolve the conflict but rather will destroy all hopes of finding solutions.

“In that spirit, we call on both Georgia and South Ossetia to exercise restraint, put an immediate end to military activities, strictly observe the agreement on non-resumption of hostilities and renew direct talks aimed at finding a comprehensive and durable solution to the situation and preventing its relapses,” he said.

At another UNSC meeting which was convened on the same day’s afternoon as the intense fighting in the region escalated to a new level, the Vietnamese diplomat said:

“My delegation once again calls upon the parties to exercise restraint, renounce the use of force and expeditiously resume direct dialogue to end the hostilities.”

He also affirmed Vietnam ’s support to the international efforts to help defuse the situation, restart peaceful talks and facilitate the rehabilitation process.

“We will continue to work with the other Council members to ensure that the Council has a timely response to the current dramatic developments in the South Ossetian zone of conflict with a view to de-escalating tension and bringing the parties to the negotiating table,” he concluded.

On August 9, Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Le Dung also expressed concern about the conflict in South Ossetia .

Speaking about Vietnam ’s response to the fighting, Dung said, “ Vietnam calls the parties to refrain, seriously observe signed agreements and promptly resume peaceful negotiations with a view of ensuring legitimate interests of all parties.”-