Vietnam learns from foreign education systems

The Ho Chi Minh City National University held a seminar on Nov. 28, drawing on European and Southeast Asian experiences in university organisation and management.

Sixty delegates from France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam attended the seminar.

According to Le Quang Minh, Deputy Director of the Chi Minh City National University, countries with well-developed education systems possess a wealth of knowledge that Vietnam could apply in developing its education sector, particularly in the area of university self-governance.

Effective university self-governance entails universities preparing their own course programmes, deciding on their own staff and training fees, and particularly, managing their own financial resources.

Vietnam ’s university system suffers from a lack of applied standards, particularly international quality standards. Furthermore, there is no real connection between the courses offered and public demand.

Participants discussed the prospects of university self-management in Vietnam under the orientation of the Government and the management of the State.

A number of successful models of university self-governance were presented at the seminar.

According to Peter Mayer, Chairman of the Social Sciences and Business Management Department of the Osnabrueck Applied Science University in Germany, ensuring strong financial resources is of the utmost importance for successful university self-governance.-

Relief aid delivered to flood victims

The first installment of relief aid from Germany on Nov. 28 was delivered by the Vietnamese Red Cross to residents of Hanoi ’s outskirts districts of Me Linh and Thanh Tri, who were seriously affected by the recent historic floods.

The aid, including a variety of essential goods such as mosquito nets, blankets and cooking utensils, is just a portion of the aid totaling more than 66,000 euros, granted by the Government and the German Red Cross.

The remaining aid will be delivered to flood victims in northern Ninh Binh province.

The Vietnamese Red Cross has so far received around 10.5 billion VND in donations from numerous international organisations in response to its call for assistance to the victims of the floods.

It has also provided aid to 17 other provinces and cities hit by the disaster, consisting of 40 tonnes of rice, 600 million VND and thousands of boxes of essential goods. The donations so far total almost 5 billion VND.

The organisation plans to provide additional aid to seriously-affected localities in the form of over 2,000 tonnes of rice, 500 tonnes of rice seeds, 680 tonnes of fertiliser, 200 cattle, and 2,700 boxes of essential goods.

The floods, triggered by prolonged torrential rain across northern and central Vietnam earlier this month, killed 82 people and destroyed 180,400 houses and 245,000 ha of winter crops. The total damage is estimated to be more than 6 trillion VND (360 million USD).

Also on Nov. 28, the Vietnam Fatherland Front made the decision to grant 1 billion VND to central provinces that had suffered widespread damage in the wake of typhoon Noul.

Under the terms of the decision, Binh Dinh province will receive 300 million VND, Quang Nam will be allocated 250 million VND, Quang Ngai is to receive 150 million VND, and Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan will each benefit from 100 million VND.

Typhoon Noul, which battered the central and southern regions of Vietnam on Nov. 17, has left at least 15 people confirmed dead, according to the Central Steering Board for Storm and Flood Control.-

Punishment demanded for fruit scare article

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called for the strict punishment of a reporter responsible for a newspaper article that provided false information regarding imported fruit sold in the local market, as well as others involved in the case.

The article, published by the Dat Viet newspaper on Nov. 11 said “a report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that 24.5 percent of imported fruit available in the Vietnamese market were found to contain toxic preservatives.”

The article caused a reaction from the WHO representative in Hanoi .

The Ministry of Information and Communications has been assigned to deal with the case and report to the PM before Dec. 5, according to a notice issued by the Government Office on Nov. 28.-

Agent Orange victims continue fight for justice

– The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange /dioxin (VAVA) has unveiled a plan to join the Paris-based International Tribunal of Opinion on the US accountability for spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam .

VAVA said that its plan has received pledges of support from the International Democratic Law Association and the International Peace Council.

“The plan is one of a series of activities to campaign for justice for victims of Agent Orange, which were launched immediately after the founding of VAVA in 2004,” said the watchdog.

The organisation also pledged to continue campaigning for international support, gathering documents and summarising reports by domestic and international scientists on the impact of Agent Orange on humans, to support their lawsuit against several US chemical companies that produced the toxic chemicals, sprayed by US troops in Vietnam .

Their case, now submitted to the US Supreme Court, has stirred up a huge global movement, with victims from many countries joining together to demand that the US Government be accountable for the consequences of AO use in Vietnam.

The movement has collected over 13 million signatures so far, both at home and abroad in support of the Vietnamese AO victims’ case via a website launched by the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society Secretary Len Aldis.

VAVA has also convened a number of international workshops on AO devastation in Vietnam and sent delegations to international conferences on the issue in France , Brazil , Japan and the Republic of Korea .

Particiapnts at these conferences heard strong evidence supporting the AO victims, from both domestic and international scientists, generating more publicity for the lawsuit across the world.

Their efforts have made progress as demonstrated by recent commitments by the US Government and Congress agencies in addressing the AO consequences, though these commitments are extremely limited in terms of scale and funding.

In addition, the organisation has engaged in a number of activities in support of victims. During five years of operations, VAVA has raised over 86 billion VND, including 13 billion VND contributed by foreign donors. As a result, the organisation has built or renovated almost 2,000 homes for AO victims, provided grants to enable the victims to establish businesses and provided healthcare, as well as presented gifts to hundreds of thousands of victims.

VAVA’s Deputy President Nguyen Trong Nhan said on November 27 that the organisation would hold its second national congress on December 3 to review its operations over the past five years and formulate strategies for the years to come.

Vietnam is home to 4.8 million people who are exposed to Agent Orange, with some 3 million of them suffering health problems related to the exposure.–

Party delegation pays working visit to UK

A delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by member of the CPV Central Committee Tran Van Hang, paid a working visit to the UK from Nov. 26-28, at the invitation of the United Kingdom (UK)’s Ministry of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs .

The delegation attended working sessions with Minister of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs Bill Rammell, Chairman of the Parliament’s on Foreign Affairs Committee Mike Gapes, Chairman of the British All-Party Parliamentary Vietnam Group Ben Chapman, and other representatives from British ministries and parties.

During the talks, both sides discussed cooperative relations between the legislative bodies, governments and people of the two countries. The two sides also focused their attention on the current global economic crisis and its impacts on the socio-economic situation in the two countries. They spoke highly of the recent developments in Vietnam-UK relations, particularly in the areas of trade, investment and official development assistance (ODA).

During the visit, the delegation also discussed the possibilities for establishing and strengthening relations between the CPV and British political parties. They exchanged measures to strengthen the links between the two countries across a wide range of fields such as the economy, investment, trade, education, judiciary, and science and technology as well as enhancing ties between the two legislative bodies.

The delegation also visited the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK.-

Indian Prime Minister concludes state visit

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his pleasure at the rapid pace of development of cooperative ties between Vietnam and India recently, particularly since the two countries established a bilateral strategic partnership.

At a meeting with the visiting Indian President, Pratibha Devishingh Patil, in Hanoi on Nov. 28, PM Dung said that the two countries have recently expanded cooperation in various areas, including politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, science, education, security and defence.

India has invested in several major steel, oil and gas projects in Vietnam and trade between the two countries has expanded at a rapid pace, he noted.

PM Dung thanked India for its recognition of Vietnam ’s market economy and its provision of technological aid to Vietnam .

He confirmed Vietnam ’s support for India ’s Look East Policy, as well as its bid to become a permanent member of the extended United Nations Security Council and its candidacy for a non-permanent seat at the council for the 2011-2012 term.

PM Dung expressed his sympathy for the Indian President and the victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on Nov. 26 and reiterated Vietnam ’s vehement condemnation of all terrorist acts, in any form and for any reason.

President Patil said it is necessary to further promote bilateral cooperation in a number of fields in order to lift their strategic partnership to a new height for the benefits of both countries and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Many Indian businesses have expressed their wishes to invest in Vietnam not only for trade purpose but also with the aim of contributing to strengthening the two countries’ friendly ties on the basis of mutual respect, President Patil said. She stressed that in the implementation of its Look East Policy, India attaches importance to its relations with ASEAN countries, especially Vietnam .

President Patil said that India recognises Vietnam as a market economy and will officially announce this recognition as soon as possible.

The Indian President thanked Vietnam for its support for Indian’s bid for permanent membership of the extended United Nations Security Council and its candidacy for a non-permanent seat at the council for the 2011-2012 term.

Earlier that day, President Patil laid a wreath at the Monument to Fallen Combatants and paid a floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum.

The Indian President left Hanoi on the afternoon of Nov. 28, concluding her state visit to Vietnam.-

President praises UN’s work in Vietnam

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has applauded the contributions of a number of UN agencies to Vietnam ’s socio-economic development and wishes to further increase cooperation with those agencies.

He delivered these remarks during his meeting with the UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam John Hendra in Hanoi on Nov. 28.

“ Vietnam wants to boost its cooperation with UN agencies in terms of quality and efficiency,” President Triet said, and stressed the country’s need for continuous cooperation and support from those agencies.

He highlighted the important role of the UN coordinator in Vietnam in helping the international community gain a thorough understanding of the country.

The President also reiterated the country’s backing of the UN reform process, which includes those agencies posted in Vietnam , describing the “One UN” initiative as a much-needed reform that needs to be accelerated.

He confirmed the country’s support for multilateral institutions, particularly the UN, in increasingly promoting their role in solving international issues.

The UN Resident Coordinator talked about Vietnam ’s numerous contributions to the reform of the UN Security Council, saying that he expected Vietnam to make even greater contributions to UN activities in the future.

He told President Triet that, in the current economic situation, UN agencies in Vietnam look to shift to providing policy consultancy services to the nation and helping strengthen the country’s policy-building capacity.

Although Vietnam is a pioneer in implementing a number of UN programmes, including the “One UN” initiative, there are vital goals contained within those programmes that relate to legal reform and state management, Hendra reminded his host.

He went on to note that his organisation would like to work alongside Vietnam in studying various models and experiences from other countries regarding those goals.-

Thai hotline set up for stranded Vietnamese

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand has set up a special hotline (66-818144403) for any Vietnamese nationals stranded in Thai airports occupied by anti-government protesters, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Le Dung informed the press on Nov. 28.

According to Dung, the MoFA has instructed Vietnamese representative offices in Thailand to coordinate with Vietnam Airlines and local travel agents to monitor the situation and assist any Vietnamese citizens who are stranded in Thailand .

The ministry also requested the embassies and general consulates in Thailand , Laos and Cambodia to assist those stranded in completing any necessary procedures to facilitate their return home.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand has also extended diplomatic notes to the Thai Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies to ask for security assurances and the creation of favourable conditions to allow Vietnamese citizens to return to their country via land routes.

Some 400 Vietnamese nationals, mostly tourists, are stuck in Bangkok due to the cancellation of their flights home.-

State President meets Cambodian Chief Judge

State President Nguyen Minh Triet received the visiting Chief Judge of the Cambodian Supreme Court Dith Munty in Hanoi on Nov. 28.

President Triet said he supports and values the cooperation between the two countries’ courts, particularly in the exchange of experiences regarding legal matters and personnel training.

He expressed his pleasure at the development of the Vietnam-Cambodia friendship and cooperation in recent years, establishing and maintaining high levels of mutual understanding and trust.

President Triet expressed his belief that the Cambodian Chief Judge’s visit to Viet Nam would yield practical, positive results for the two legal sectors and contribute to strengthening the traditional relations between the two nations as well as the development of each country.

He stressed that Vietnam ’s foreign policy is committed to increased cooperation with all countries, particularly cooperation between Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia .

Chief Judge Dith Munty stated that the Cambodian people would never forget the great devotion of the voluntary Vietnamese soldiers who helped Cambodia free itself from its genocidal regime.

Dith Munty briefed the Vietnamese leader on his delegation’s working session with the Vietnam Supreme People’s Court. During the session, the two sides agreed to increase their regular exchanges and beef up cooperation in personnel training. They also agreed to establish a working group to formulate plans for the expansion of the scope of their cooperation.

Chief Judge Dith Munty began his visit to Vietnam on Nov. 26 and is scheduled to conclude it on Nov. 30.-

Vietnam attends Asian Parliamentary Assembly

Jakarta (VNA) – A delegation from the National Assembly led by NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu is attending the third session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA-3), taking place in Jakarta , Indonesia , from Nov. 27-29.

Addressing the APA plenary on Nov. 28, Vice Chairman Luu said Vietnam welcomes and supports the initiatives and efforts extended by the host country and other Asian countries to increase cooperation in tackling the current global financial crisis and preventing a similar crisis from occurring in the future.

According to Luu, challenges posed by the environment, natural disasters, the exhaustion of natural resources and the prevalence of poverty are threatening the sustainable growth and living conditions of people across Asia .

He suggested that the APA members step up their cooperation and improve the APA’s efficiency in dealing with such problems in order to stimulate peace and prosperity across the region and the world.

The Vietnamese official also affirmed that Vietnam , as one of the APA founders, wishes to share its experiences with other Asian countries in developing their economies for the sake of peace, stability and prosperity, particularly in the current context.

The Vietnamese delegation actively participated in numerous activities during the APA session, including sessions of the Executive Board and committees, plenary sessions, debates of draft bills on the cooperation between the APA and other multilateral cooperation organisations, as well as discussions focusing on the global financial crisis, climate change, poverty reduction, anti-corruption measures and terrorism.

On Nov. 27, following the APA session’s opening ceremony, Vice Chairman Luu and other heads of delegations planted trees within the Indonesian Parliament’s precinct in response to a scheme to plan one billion green trees, launched by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.-