Deputy PM: Students important for development

HCM City (VNA) – Education quality is one of the decisive factors for the advancement and development of the society, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan on August 20.

Deputy PM Nhan was chairing an online video conference between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi , entitled “Training for the Demands of Society and Businesses.”

At the conference, which drew scientists, educational managers, enterprisers and over 700 students from 60 universities and colleges nationwide, Nhan emphasised that training must match the requirements of the society. For the goal, all concerned parties, from the State agencies to schools and enterprises and students must proactively co-ordinate.

A recent survey shows that only 60 percent of Vietnamese students have found jobs that are suitable to their majors and meet recruiters’ requirements. Meanwhile, the serious shortage of human resources has been seen in many sectors, including finance and banking, tourism, and industrial production.

According to the Ministry of Finance, by 2010, insurance, securities and auditing sectors will need about 13,500 people. Meanwhile the information technology sector needs 80,000 software engineers to reach the goal of 800 million USD in software revenues also set for 2010.-

PM asks prompt information on essential goods, market

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has requested relevant ministries to make public all governmental, prime ministerial and ministerial instructions on prices, market, supply and demand of essential commodities to avoid the making up of rumors in the country.

According to the Government Office’s Aug. 19 announcement, PM Dung named the ministries of finance, industry and trade, agriculture and rural development, construction and health in his request.

He asked those ministries to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Information and Communication and localities to work out a coordinating mechanism to promptly handle abnormal move of prices, market, supply and demand of essential goods.

The Ministry of Information and Communication is also supposed to convey information to the people, thus helping then be aware of the developments of the market.

News agencies and newspapers are required to promptly publish official information provided by responsible agencies in the wake of sudden fluctuations in the market and rumors on prices.

Meanwhile, provincial and municipal people’s committees are ordered to collaborate with pertaining ministries and sectors to timely tackle abnormal changes in market, prices, demand and supply of essential commodities.

Those committees are also asked to instruct concerned departments to investigate into the source of rumors and severely punish those who invent rumors.-

HCM City provides relief aid to Lao capital

– Ho Chi Minh City has decided to grant 100,000 USD to the Lao capital city of Vientiane to help it overcome the aftermath of recent floods.

The floods, caused by rising waters in the Mekong river and deteriorated by powerful tropical storm Kammuri, killed four people and destroyed more than 1,000 hectares of rice fields in the country.

In a letter dated August 19, Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai extended condolences to the Party organisation and people of Vientiane as well as families of the victims.

Hai believed that the Party organisation, government and people of the Lao capital will soon surmount the consequences to resume normal life and production.-

PM adopts visa exemption pact with Paraguay

– Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved an agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports between Vietnam and Paraguay.

The agreement was signed in Asuncion, Paraguay, on March 8, 2007, during a visit to the Latin American country by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Van Bang.

PM Dung entrusted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to complete all necessary procedures and inform local agencies of the day the pact comes into force.

Vietnam and Paraguay officially established diplomatic relations on May 30, 1995. The Vietnamese ambassador to Argentina now doubles as ambassador to Paraguay.-

India and Russia boost military cooperation

– India and Russia have held their 8 th meeting of the Indo-Russian Working Group on Shipbuilding, Aviation and Land Systems in New Delhi to review the implementation of their joint projects, local media reported.

At the August 18-19 meeting, which is part of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Co-operation, the two sides discussed current projects like T-90 tanks, Missile Systems, various Shipbuilding activities and Aviation Sector projects, India’s news network ANI said.

They also agreed to take steps for ensuring their successful implementation.

A protocol was signed at the end of the meeting, according to the news network. –

Vietnam asserts experience sharing with Timor Leste

New York (VNA) - Vietnam is willing to share experiences with Timor Leste in implementing the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) as it successfully deployed the project, said a senior diplomat.

Representative of Vietnam to the UN Security Council Ambassador Le Luong Minh made the statement at a UNSC session regarding Timor Leste and the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) that convened in New York on August 19.

The ambassador affirmed Vietnam’s support for the UNMIT’s continued mandate as requested by the UN Secretary General, adding that he hoped the mission will coordinate closely with the UN’s other partners to effectively carry out the UNDAF in Timor Leste from 2009-2013.

Minh applauded the UNMIT’s efforts to uphold its reconciliation role and help to the Timorese government, and said he hoped that with the help, the Timorese security forces will grow up to undertake the responsibility for maintaining security in the country.

The representative went on to praise the Timorese government and people for their determination to overcome the current difficulties and challenges, as well as accelerate peace and national development.

At the meeting, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Timor Leste, Atul Khare, noted that the country’s situation has basically become stable after uprisings occurred in early February.

The UNMIT has well performed its major tasks, including promoting dialogues among political parties, training policemen and improving the government’s management capacity, Khare said.

However, he stressed, Timor Leste still faces a lot of challenges and is in need of the international community’s assistance, and the UN’s continued presence.

The council adopted the Chair Statement drafted by South Africa , acclaiming positive developments in Timor Leste and UNMIT’s operations, and pledging the international community’s continued backing for the country’s peace and development process.

At an earlier meeting with representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Khare spoke highly of the grouping’s role in the region as well as its member countries’ support for Timor Leste.

Vietnam alone shipped more than 16,000 tonnes of rice over the past year to help the country surmount the food crisis.-

Vietnam actively joins regional inter-parliamentary activities

Singapore (VNA) – A Vietnamese top legislator said Vietnam has been actively and responsibly participating in the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA)’s activities, contributing to boosting cooperation and sustainable development in the region and the world.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong made the statement at the 29 th AIPA General Assembly which opened in Singapore on August 20.

“Integration and regional linkage is the path for development which requires contribution and close cooperation by law making and enforcement bodies as well as the people,” she said.

The legislator expressed her pleasure at the enhanced solidarity, friendship and multifaceted cooperation among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, which, she said, were vividly reflected in the signing of the ASEAN Charter late last year.

She also said in conjunction with efforts made by the governments, the parliaments of ASEAN member countries have made important contributions to regional linkage process.

To better its role, the senior official said, AIPA should further perfect its operation mechanisms and structure, including improving the efficiency of its Secretariat.

Phong is leading a Vietnamese delegation to the AIPA meeting, which is being attended by eight member countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and the host – Singapore .

Representatives from Brunei and Myanmar are attending the event as special observers while those from Canada, Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea and the European Union as observers.-

Vietnamese, Thai high-ranking officers meet

Hanoi (VNA) – Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Khac Nghien, chief of the Vietnam People’s Army General Staff received General Anupong Paochinda, Commander in chief of the Royal Thai Army, in Hanoi on August 20.
General Anuphong Paochinda thanked his host for the warm welcome and reported about his talks with Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Kham, deputy chief of the General Staff. The two sides discussed measures to increase cooperation between the two armies in order to contribute to peace, stability and development in the region.

The Thai officer took this occasion to hand over 30,000 USD as aid to victims of the recent floods which ravaged Vietnam’s northern region.-

Brunei King sends sympathy to Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) – Brunei King Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, on August 18, sent his sympathy to Vietnam over the great losses caused by recent floods to northern mountainous provinces.

The message was addressed to State President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The floods, caused by storm Kammuri, occurred in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang and Son La provinces, leaving 125 dead and 38 missing by the end of August 13.-

Ambassador Michalak: US-Vietnam ties see deeper, stronger development

Hanoi (VNA) – US-Vietnam relations have experienced a good time of development, said US Ambassador Michael Michalak.

Meeting with the press in Hanoi on August 20 on his first working year in Vietnam, the diplomat stressed that over the last 12 months, Vietnam and the US exchanged a number of visits by governmental, parliamentary and trade delegations.

During Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the US in June at the invitation of President George W. Bush, the two leaders agreed to place importance on economic and trade relations. The two sides also signed important cooperation agreements on education and climate changes.

He expressed his pleasure at the growing bilateral trade in the first half of 2008, which exceeded the 12.53 billion USD level made in 2007. Remarkably, US export value to Vietnam during the period reached 1.61 billion USD. US investment in Vietnam strongly developed, he said.

Thanks to an education agreement signed during the Vietnamese PM’s tour of the US, a bilateral committee on education will be set up to expand cooperation between the two countries in the field as well as assist more Vietnamese students to study in the US, the diplomat said.

Regarding joint efforts in dealing with Agent Orange/Dioxin, the ambassador revealed that a 3 million USD project on overcoming the environment and health will be started in the next two or three weeks. He also talked about the need of mine clearance.

Ambassador Michalak hailed Vietnam ’s success at the UNSC which helps to increase the country’s role and prestige in the world arena.-