Veteran Southern writer dies at 82

Veteran writer Son Nam died on August 13 in Ho Chi Minh City at the age of 82.

Born in 1926 in Dong Thai Village in Go Quao District in the central province of Rach Gia , the writer, whose real name is Pham Minh Tay, joined the revolutionary movement against French colonists in 1940s. When peace returns in Vietnam in 1954, he moved to settle in HCM City and started his writing career since then.

Various of his works, including Huong Rung Ca Mau (Fragrance of Ca Mau Forest), Chuyen Xua Tich Cu (Old Stories and Tales), Tim Hieu Dat Hau Giang ( Learn about the Hau Giang Land), Dong Bang Song Cuu Long Hay La Van Minh Miet Vuon ( Mekong River Delta or the Hick Civilisation), Lich Su Khan Hoang Mien Nam (History of Land Reclamation in the South), portrayed vividly and truly the life and works of citizens in the South, becoming the favourite books of many readers nationwide.

Especially, his short story Mua Len Trau (The Buffalo Boy) has been adapted into a movie by Vietnamese-American director Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh. The movie has won several prizes at international film festivals such as the New Director’s Prize at the Chicago Film Festival, the Grand Prix at the 2004 Amien Film Festival in France .

Son Nam’s funeral started at 10am on Aug. 14 at the HCM City Funeral Hall in District 3. He will be buried at the Binh Duong cemetery in Binh Duong province.-

Japan inaugurates suspension bridge in Kon Tum

– Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Mitsuo Sakaba on August 14 inaugurated a suspension bridge crossing Dak Bra river in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum .

The 89,000 USD bridge is one of the projects funded by non-refundable aids from the Japanese government in the 2006 fiscal year.

The diplomat on August 13 also cut the ribbon to open a primary school in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai built with 88,000 USD from the Japanese government Official Development Aid (ODA).

Apart from these two projects, Japan also provided aids to Kon Tum’s vocational training centre and Gia Lai’s general hospital.-

State leader welcomes Lao Supreme Court President

State President Nguyen Minh Triet acclaimed the Lao-Vietnam effective cooperation in judicial work over the past time while receiving President of the Lao People’s Supreme Court (LPSC) Khammy Sayavong in Hanoi on August 14.

The Vietnamese state leader suggested the two sides quickly implement their new cooperation plans, thus contributing to the development of each country and the close relationship between the two nations.

He also affirmed that Vietnam will make every effort to assist its fraternal Lao people.
LPSC President Sayavong thanked the Vietnamese side’s assistance in training Lao judicial workers.

During its week-long visit to Vietnam starting from August 10, the Lao delegation signed new cooperation agreements on staff training and researching with Vietnamese host.-

Vietnam welcomes Kuwaiti investors, says President

Vietnam welcomes and will give favourable conditions to Kuwaiti investors in Vietnam, President Nguyen Minh Triet said in an exclusive interview with Kuwait’s Al Alba’a daily on August 14.

The President said that the Vietnam visit by Kuwaiti Prime Minister Nasser Al Mohammed Al Ahmed Al Sabah in May 2007 opened a new stage of positive and in-depth development of the two countries’ relations.

Kuwait now has eight investment projects capitalised at nearly 2 billion USD in Vietnam , including the Nghi Son Oil Refinery in central Thanh Hoa province, a project of major economic significance.

Kuwait is the first Persian Gulf state establishing diplomatic ties with Vietnam, in January 1976. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has supported various projects on poverty alleviation in Vietnam .

President Triet affirmed that importance is attached to Kuwait in Vietnam’s foreign policy towards Middle East and African countries.

In 2003, Vietnam’s first embassy in the Persian region was opened in Kuwait. So far it has established diplomatic ties with all Arab nations and opened representative offices in nine regional countries.

On Vietnam’s achievements since the nation undertook the non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, President Triet emphasised that with a foreign policy of independence and self-reliance and experiences, Vietnam has well taken part in the UNSC’s all activities.

Regarding the contributions by the Islamic community to Vietnam’s socio-economic development, President Triet said that Vietnam is a multi-religious country with religious practices taking place normally nationwide.

The right to freedom of religion and belief and non-religion and non-belief is clearly enshrined in Vietnam’s Constitution and respected in reality, he added.

The Islamic community, one of the six largest religions in Vietnam, has contributed to the country’s multinational and diverse culture.-

Canadian Ambassador honoured for boosting ties with Vietnam

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on August 14 presented an insignia to Canadian Ambassador Gabriel M. Lessard for his contributions to fostering friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Gabriel said it was his honour to receive the insignia “For Peace and Friendship between Nations” – VUFO’s most precious award.

He also said he was proud of the fact that during his working term in Vietnam, bilateral ties between Vietnam and Canada well progressed, particularly in education, trade, culture and people-to-people friendship.

Last year, two-way trade between Vietnam and Canada hit a record 1 billion USD, the ambassador said, adding that his country’s investment in Vietnam increased, with registered capital reaching more than 6 billion USD, lifting Canada to the third place regarding FDI in Vietnam.

Ambassador Gabriel also supported friendship between the two people through poverty reduction and environment projects, as well as humanitarian activities, including the annual marathon named after Terry Fox to raise money for cancer research.

VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong thanked the diplomat for his contributions, saying he believed that in the future, the ambassador would help further promote cooperation and friendship between the two people.-

Vietnam affirms sovereignty over Truong Sa, Hoang Sa

Hanoi (VNA) – Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Dung said Vietnam has full historical evidence and legal foundation to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa ( Paracel ) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago s.

The spokesman made the statement at a press briefing in Hanoi on August 14 in reply to a correspondent’s question about Vietnam ’s reaction to the recent visit to the Hoa Lau Island of Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago by the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister.

The diplomat also said Vietnam and Malaysia , as neighbouring countries and fellow members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, have witnessed fine development in their relations.

The two countries agreed to resolve problems arising in their bilateral ties through peaceful negotiations on the basis of equality and respecting each other’s rights and legitimate interests in accordance with laws and international practice, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, he added.-

Vietnam backs peaceful solutions for South Ossetia conflict

Vietnam welcomed Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s fire-ceasing declaration as well as efforts of Russia and the international community to seek peaceful solutions to the South Ossetia conflict, including the prevention of the reoccurrence of recent clashes.

“We welcome the principles to deal with the South Ossetia and Abkhazia conflicts reached by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on August 12,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Dung said at a regular press briefing on August 14.

“ Vietnam regrets the armed conflict in South Ossetia, which caused great losses in property and lives for civilians and Russian peacekeepers,” the spokesperson said.-

Foreign leaders offer condolences to Vietnam over floods

Leaders of foreign countries have offered sympathies to Vietnam over serious losses in property and human lives caused by floods in northern mountainous provinces.

In a message addressed to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 14, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Vietnamese Party and Government, flood victims will soon overcome the aftermaths and return to normal life.

Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem also received condolences from Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi.

The same day, Chinese ambassador to Vietnam Hu Qianwen handed over to Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son 50,000 USD in donations from the Chinese embassy staffs to help the flood victims.

German Chancellor Horst Koehler and Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker also sent messages of condolences to Vietnamese leaders on August 13.-

NA Chairman receives Canadian, Belgian ambassadors

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong received Canadian outgoing Ambassador Gabriel Lessard in Hanoi on August 14 and spoke highly of the diplomat’s contributions to boosting Vietnam-Canada relations.

He thanked the Canadian government’s assistance to Vietnam’s development over the last 15 years, especially in legislative capacity promotion.

The outgoing ambassador said that Canada wants to work more closely with Vietnam in multilateral forums, especially in the framework of ASEAN-Canada partnership and the Francophone community.

He also highlighted the role of Vietnamese community in Canada in developing bilateral relations.

The same day, NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong received newly-assigned Belgian Ambassador Hubert Cooreman.

Chairman Trong spoke highly of Belgium’s position in Europe , saying he hoped that bilateral political, economic, cultural, educational and tourism cooperation will further develop.

He also asks Belgium to help Vietnam develop ties with European countries.

The Belgian ambassador took the occasion to extend condolences to flood victims in Vietnam’s northern mountainous region.-

Vietnam, Malaysia sign defence cooperation protocol

– Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh said he signed a protocol on the enhancement of defence cooperation with Malaysia during his working visit to the country.

At a meeting on August 14 with Vietnamese diplomats in Malaysia , Defence Minister Thanh said he had invited the Commander of the Navy of Malaysia to visit Vietnam and his ministry will send two warships to Malaysia on a friendship visit to promote cooperation between the two navies.

The army chief added that Malaysia pledged to train naval officers for Vietnam and consider changes to its regulations on Vietnamese fishermen operating at waters offshore Malaysia .

The Defence Minister is staying as guest of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak.-