Germany aids natural resources conservation

Quang Binh (VNA) – A German-funded project on sustainable conservation and management of natural resources at the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was launched in central Quang Binh province on September 18.

The project is a 15.7-million-EUR investment, to which Germany contributes 9.8 million EUR in non-refundable aid and 4.6 million EUR in preferential loan, and the Vietnamese counterpart, the remaining.

The project aims to strengthen the management and conservation of natural resources as well as boost socio-economic development at the area of the UNESCO-recognised world heritage.

To be carried out between now and 2015 in Quang Binh’s districts of Bo Trach, Minh Hoa and Quang Ninh, it will increase income and generate jobs for local people by promoting ecological tourism and strengthening forest management.

As part of the project, a special fund will be set up to help reduce deforestation and wildlife hunting at the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.-

Conference discusses prevention of child accidental injury

Da Nang (VNA) – Measures to enhance prevention of child accidental injury and implementation of policies for disadvantaged children were high on agenda of a two-day conference that concluded in central Da Nang city on September 18.
Participants to the conference, co-organised by the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Teenagers and Children and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), agreed that raising public awareness is one of the key measures to minimise the number of children injured by accidents and fallen into difficult circumstances.

They also suggested the Government instruct authorised agencies to urgently improve policies for underprivileged children, including increasing the minimum allowance, providing free medical check-ups and treatment for HIV-AIDS infected and sexually-abused children and rehabilitating the disabled.

By December 2007, Vietnam reported around 1.4 million disadvantaged children, including orphans, HIV-AIDS victims, disabled children, child labourers, street children, drug addicts and those sexually abused, while 1.8 million others were living in poor families.-

National report on MDGs to be finalised next month

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam will finalise a national report on the implementation of the 2008 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) next month, a government official said on September 18.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh made the statement at a seminar to consult international and non-governmental organisations, diplomatic agencies, research institutes, and relevant ministries and agencies about the draft report.

The deputy minister said after being submitted to the Government in October, the report will be publicised at donors’ Consultative Group Meeting in December.

Nguyen Tu Nhat, director of the national report drafting project, said the draft report reflects Vietnam ’s efforts to further implement MDGs and include the goals into its socio-economic development strategies and programmes.

Statistics in the draft report were collected from annual reports of ministries, agencies and localities, Nhat said.

Representative from the United Nations Development Programme Christophe Bahuet lauded Vietnam ’s initiative to hold the consultation. He said regional and local statistics would make the report more persuasive and suggested the inclusion of unofficial information into the report along with official one for cross-check.

Entitled “Vietnam furthers roadmap for implementation of MDGs”, the draft report consists of three parts, including an overview of the results of the implementation of the millennium declaration and MDGs in the 2005-2007 period, the implementation of MDGs and the realisation of Vietnam’s goals that help accelerate the attainment of MDGs.-

WB-funded land management project launched

Hanoi (VNA) – A World Bank-funded project to help Vietnam develop a land management system in a more transparent and public manner was launched in Hanoi on September 18.

The Viet Nam Land Administration Project (VLAP), built by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has a total investment of 100 million USD. It will be carried out in Hanoi and provinces of Hung Yen, Thai Binh, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Tien Giang, Ben Tre and Vinh Long between 2008 and 2013.

Under the project, a computerised and easily accessible land information service system will be set up with equitable services for people from all walks of life.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran The Ngoc said the project initially focuses on nine localities but his ministry will be persistent with its goal to mobilise all resources to modernise the land management system throughout the country.-

Vietnam returns 17 Cambodian boatmen

Southern Vung Tau province has handed over 17 Cambodian boatmen, who were saved from a boat drifting on Vietnamese sea early September, to the Ho Chi Minh City-based Cambodian General Consulate.

The hand-over took place at the Moc Bai international border gate in the southwestern border province of Tay Ninh on September 17.

The accommodation and meal costs during their stay in Vung Tau city were fully covered by Vietnam at the Cambodian request.

They were part of a group of 58 crewmen holding the citizenship of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, who were found collapsed aboard a ship on the Vietnamese waters on September 6. They were brought safe by Vietnamese fishermen and border guards later on.

Provincial border guards and external affairs service finished paper work for two Thai crewmen to return home on September 10 and for two other Laotians one day later.

Provincial border guards said they will return 37 Myanmar victims next week.–

Deputy PM visits Belgium, European Commission

Brussels (VNA) – Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem began his official visits to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Commission (EC) on September 17.

On his first day in Belgium, the Deputy PM paid a courtesy visit to Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, met with Belgian Minister for Development Cooperation Charles Michel, and talked with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Karet De Gucht.

The same day, he had a talk with EC commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrero Waldner and commissioner for external trade Peter Madelson.-

VN calls on Djibouti, Eritrea to resort to dialogue

New York (VNA) – Vietnam has called upon Djibouti and Eritrea to show utmost restraint, to refrain from any threat or use of force and to resort to dialogue so as to de-escalate the tension between the two countries.

At the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussion on border dispute between Djibouti and Eritrea in New York on September 17, the Vietnamese deputy representative to the UNSC, Ambassador Hoang Chi Trung expressed concern at the escalation of tension between the two countries, most notably the scaling-up militarization by both sides at the border and the breakdown in their diplomatic relations.

The ambassador underlined the fundamental principle to be applied to such situation that every dispute and conflict should be resolved through peaceful negotiations in a manner consistent with international law and the UN Charter.

“Dispute and conflict can never be resolved without the engagement and political will of all the parties concerned,” said the Vietnamese diplomat, urging Eritrea to fulfill its international obligation and responsibility to work constructively with the UN and other regional mechanisms with a view to peacefully resolving the border dispute with Djibouti .

Ambassador Trung shared the views expressed in the report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission that both sides, especially the State of Eritrea, should exert efforts to implement political engagements and conduct peaceful dialogues.

He proposed the UN Secretary General, in coordination with regional efforts, continue to explore his good offices to encourage dialogue, generate political space and create an entry point for diffusing the tension and resolving the bilateral dispute between Eritrea and Djibouti.-

Vietnam active in Mekong sub-region development

Hanoi (VNA) – Chairman of the Vietnam National Mekong Committee (VNMC) Pham Khoi Nguyen has affirmed his committee’s active role in maintaining the cooperative relationship among countries in the Mekong sub-region over the past 30 years.

Opening a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the VNMC in Hanoi on Sept. 18, Nguyen, who is also Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the committee has actively participated in most of the regional cooperative initiatives, bilateral cooperation channels and joint working groups on border cooperation.

It has also involved in coordinating water resources utilization and sharing activities in the border areas, he added.

Within the framework of bilateral cooperation, the committee has helped Laos and Cambodia in developing and using water resources through memoranda of understanding signed at ministerial level. In addition, it has promoted bilateral cooperation with Thailand and China in the field.

Thanks to its active involvement in the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Water Utilisation Programme (WUP), Basin Development Plan (BDP), Fisheries Programme (FP) and Flood Management and Mitigation Programme (FMMP), Vietnam has received international assistance in water resources and fisheries sectors.

Furthermore, the VNMC has been an effective advisor to the Government on Mekong cooperation issues which have contributed to defending Vietnam’s interest and helped reduce the negative impacts of development activities in the upper reaches.

Minister Nguyen suggested the VNMC bring into play its role to promote cooperation within the framework of the MRC such as strengthening MRC stability, effectively implementing cooperation programmes to meet the region’s new demands and combining the MRC’s activities with sub-regional cooperation initiatives.

Mekong countries began their cooperation and development of the Mekong River in 1957. The 50-year Mekong cooperation have made considerable contributions to the research and development of water resources and other related resources for the benefits of countries in the Mekong basin.-

ASEAN members talk mutual legal assistance

ASEAN senior officials gathered in Hanoi on Sept. 18 for their third meeting on the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

Opening the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Public Security, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Le The Tiem said that in the context of the rapid economic and science and technology development as well as the international economic integration, crimes are likely to be more complex and go beyond national borders to become a regional and global issue.

He enumerated international terrorism, trans-national organised crimes, corruption, smuggling, drug-related crimes, cross-border human trafficking, counterfeit currency circulation, international frauds and weapon smuggling.

“The cooperation between nations to fight and prevent these crimes is of important significance for the international community in general and for ASEAN countries in particular,” he said.

According to him, the ASEAN Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters was the first international accord in the field between Southeast Asian countries.

The treaty has so far been ratified by six ASEAN member countries, namely Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

At this third meeting, delegates will discuss difficulties and find out solutions for the implementation of the treaty.

The third meeting, which sees the attendance of senior officials and representatives from embassies of ASEAN countries, the Treaty’s Secretariat and 60 delegates from Vietnamese relevant ministries and agencies, will conclude on Sept. 19.-

APEC seminar discusses migration-related HIV prevention

Hanoi (VNA) – Migration policies in preventing HIV/AIDS spreading was discussed at a Vietnam-initiated APEC seminar held in Hanoi on Sept. 18-19.

Opening the event, one of major activities of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC)’s Health Working Group in 2008, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Doan Xuan Hung said the seminar aims to boost the cooperation in social management of migrants in order to prevent HIV/AIDS spreading.

Ambassador Juan Carlos Capunay, APEC Secretariat Executive Director, put stress on the emergency of the protection of human health from the fatal scourge.

He said the seminar focuses on practical experiences of APEC members in the management of migrants and HIV/AIDS, social policies on migrating labourers and HIV/AIDS at working places, and international and regional cooperation in this field.

Attended by officials from 21 APEC member economies, relevant international and non-governmental organisations, as well as representatives of HIV/AIDS-infected migrants, the seminar coincides with the 10th anniversary of Vietnam’s APEC joining.

The seminar is a chance for authorised agencies and HIV/AIDS carriers to exchange information and experiences. Its results, which are expected to boost the regional cooperation, will be reported to the APEC Ministerial Meetings in November.

Asia-Pacific region now stands second after Sahara region in the number of HIV/AIDS carriers.-