Locals to compete at ASEAN skills competition

Hanoi (VNA) – Thirty eight Vietnamese workers will compete at the seventh ASEAN Skills Competition 2008, taking place in Malaysia from November 10-19.

The competitors, selected from 57 winners at the 2008 national competition, will show off their skills in 19 professions, including industrial electricity, construction, information technology, cooking and tailoring.

Accompanying them will be 24 experts from local vocational schools and enterprises who have helped the workers to hone their skills.

At the sixth ASEAN Skills Competition in Brunei , Vietnam took home first prize for the second time in a row, winning six gold, two silver and five bronze medals.-

TV scenario writing contest on food safety launched

Hanoi (VNA) – A TV scenario writing contest on food safety has been launched at senior high-schools in Hanoi .

The contest, funded by the World Bank (WB) as part of the “Vietnam Initiative Day 2008”, will take place till the end of July 2009 with stories on gastronomy habits at home and in streets, unhygienic ways of food processing and air and water pollution.

Ten best works will be selected to the final round and three best scenario will be awarded.

The to- be awarded works will be use to produce TV messages and broadcasted on the VTV6 channel late 2009.

Awardees will engage in film production for their scenario.

According to the organising board, the contest is aimed at reflecting a hot social issue, creating conditions for students to take part in social activities and developing their imitativeness and their role of citizens.-

Vice State President meets Canadian plane manufacturer

Hanoi (VNA) – Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan received Laurent Baeudoin, President of the Canadian giant plane manufacturer Bombardier, in Hanoi on Nov. 7.

The Vice President hailed Laurent Baeudoin’s first visit to Vietnam and expressed her belief that it will help him to understand more about Vietnam ’s demands and its potential to make investment decisions.

Vice President Doan affirmed that Vietnam possesses a stable and favourable investment environment and a desire to receive cooperation from foreign partners, including those from Canada .

Laurent Baeudoin informed the host of his working meetings with the Vietnamese Planning and Investment Minister and the General Director of the national flag-bearer airline company, Vietnam Airlines.

He said Bombardier to sell a range of transport vehicles to Vietnam and invest in highway construction in the country.-

Vietnam-Cambodia visa exemption agreement to take effect

Hanoi (VNA) – An agreement on visa exemption for common passport holders signed between Vietnam and Cambodia will take effect as from Dec. 4, announced the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Under the agreement which was signed in Hanoi on Nov. 4, the two countries’ citizens who holds common passports being valid in at least 6 months will be exempted from visa for stays of up to 14 days in each other’s territories.-

ACMECS aims for strengthened trade-investment cooperation

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Ministers from the region attending the third Ayayewady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit have agreed to boost cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, investment and tourism to cope with the negative impact of the global economic downturn.

Addressing the function, which opened in Hanoi on Nov. 7, Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung asked ACMECS countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to increase their exchange of experiences and provide mutual support within the framework of bilateral and ASEAN, ASEAN+3, APEC and ASEM cooperation for greater socio-economic development in each country, thus contributing to stabilising the region’s economic and financial situation.

In the context of the unpredictability of the regional and global economy, ACMECS PMs agreed to boost cooperation in an effective and practical manner, as well as take advantage of opportunities and cope with new challenges. At the same time, ACMECS member countries should boost economic integration with one another and across the Mekong sub-region as well, they said.

The PMs discussed and approved specific proposals focusing on promoting ACMECS cooperation in the agriculture, industry, energy, transportation, tourism and health sectors.

They also stressed that ACMECS will continue to give top priority to human resources development.

Leaders of the ACMECS countries also emphasised the need for favourable procedures and mechanisms, including customs procedures and tourism promotion activities.

Regarding environmental protection, the Vietnamese PM said that suitable measures should be taken towards reasonable exploitation of the three rivers, which play an important role in the sustainable development of ACMECS countries, with special attention being paid to the Mekong river.

The PMs agreed to incorporate environmental protection into ACMECS cooperation programme and to establish an environmental task group within the framework of ACMECS.

In concluding, the ACMECS PMs approved a joint statement conveying a message of high determination and committed actions by member countries to transform ACMECS into a practical and effective cooperation framework across a number of fields.

The fourth ACMECS Summit will take place in Cambodia in 2010.-

Ambassador: Vietnam always remembers French friends’ assistance

Paris (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to France Le Kinh Tai affirmed that Vietnam will never forget the friendship, assistance and immense support given by the French Communist Party and French friends in the past struggle for national independence and the cause of current national construction.
He made the affirmation at a cordial reception held in Paris on Nov. 6 for French friends who have continually given their wholehearted support to Vietnam .

Prominent among the guests at the function were Raymond Aubrac, ex-senator Helene Luc, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association Jean-Pierre Brard, and historians Alain Ruscio and Charles Fourniau.

Ambassador Tai said that the ties between the Vietnamese and French nations and communist parties over the past eight decades is a valuable asset that must be preserved.

The diplomat hoped to continue receiving their strong support for Vietnam in its efforts to reduce poverty and eliminate hunger and in the fight for justice for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.

Secretary-General of the Association of French War Veterans (ARAC) Claude Delevacq hailed Vietnam , a developing country that has seen many changes, for overcoming numerous difficulties to become an attractive destination to many French tourists.

ARAC has provided Vietnam with assistance for almost 20 years. The association has given regular help to Vietnamese Agent Orange /dioxin victims, particularly children living in the Van Canh Friendship Village.-

Ambassador: Vietnam always remembers French friends’ assistance

Paris (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to France Le Kinh Tai affirmed that Vietnam will never forget the friendship, assistance and immense support given by the French Communist Party and French friends in the past struggle for national independence and the cause of current national construction.
He made the affirmation at a cordial reception held in Paris on Nov. 6 for French friends who have continually given their wholehearted support to Vietnam .

Prominent among the guests at the function were Raymond Aubrac, ex-senator Helene Luc, President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association Jean-Pierre Brard, and historians Alain Ruscio and Charles Fourniau.

Ambassador Tai said that the ties between the Vietnamese and French nations and communist parties over the past eight decades is a valuable asset that must be preserved.

The diplomat hoped to continue receiving their strong support for Vietnam in its efforts to reduce poverty and eliminate hunger and in the fight for justice for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.

Secretary-General of the Association of French War Veterans (ARAC) Claude Delevacq hailed Vietnam , a developing country that has seen many changes, for overcoming numerous difficulties to become an attractive destination to many French tourists.

ARAC has provided Vietnam with assistance for almost 20 years. The association has given regular help to Vietnamese Agent Orange /dioxin victims, particularly children living in the Van Canh Friendship Village.-

CLMV, ACMECS summits a success, says PM

Hanoi (VNA) – The fourth CLMV Summit and the third ACMECS Summit have been a great success, bringing cooperation among member countries to a new level with emphasis on substance and effectiveness.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hailed the results of the two events at a press briefing in Hanoi on Nov. 7, saying that the fourth Summit of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) and the third Summit of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), whose members include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, had attained all of the set targets and requirements, with important documents ratified with high consensus of opinion regarding their fundamental contents.

CLMV and ACMECS member countries discussed and put forth directions and roadmaps to make cooperation within the framework of CLMV and ACMECS more active and effective, he said, adding that the nations agreed to further improve their investment environments for investors from other nations in the region.

The member nations were also unanimous in agreeing to increase coordination to improve infrastructure facilities and effectively exploit economic corridors, particularly the East-West Economic Corridor, the Southern Economic Corridor and the North-South Economic Corridor.

A dialogue between ACMECS senior leaders and businesspeople was conducted successfully on this occasion, helping to develop the partnership between the governments of the ACMECS countries and their business circles.

PM Dung went on to say that the CLMV members agreed to promote the flow of investment into energy projects and sub-regional power grids in a bid to ensure energy security in each country and build a CLMV fellowship programme. Vietnam and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of vocational training in ACMECS countries.

Recognising the importance of environmental protection, particularly the sustained protection and use of Mekong River ’s water sources, the prime ministers agreed to set up an environment task group and entrusted the ministers to deploy the initiative.

The nations agreed to accelerate the diversification of resources for projects within the cooperation framework of CLMV and ACMECS, to coordinate in seeking partners, and to take suitable mechanisms to encourage businesses join in cooperation projects.

The Vietnamese government leader noted the member nations appreciated Vietnam ’s careful preparations for the conferences although the country is facing a series of natural disasters and floods.

The participating prime ministers agreed to hold the fifth CLMV Summit and the fourth ACMECS Summit in Cambodia next year, PM Dung said.

Also on Nov. 7, State President Nguyen Minh Triet received the prime ministers of Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar and Thailand who are in Hanoi to attend the CLMV and ACMECS Summits.

President Triet said Vietnam wants to join hands with the four countries in strengthening and expanding cooperation, friendship and solidarity among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Greater Mekong Sub-region.

On behalf of the guests, Thai PM Somchai Wongsawat asserted that the third ACMECS Summit concluded successfully, saying the leaders agreed to beef up cooperation in trade, investment, transport, industry, energy, education and training.

All of the four nations desire to consolidate and expand their friendly and cooperative relations with Vietnam , the Thai PM emphasised.-

India, Indonesia extend condolences to Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) – Indian President Pratibha Patil sent a message of sympathy to Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet on November 7 over the losses caused by recent heavy rains and subsequent floods in northern Vietnam.

In the message, President Patil also expressed her condolences to the families of victims of the natural disaster.

Previously, on November 3, on behalf of the Indonesian government and people, the Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam sent a letter of sympathy to the Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem and the victims’ families.

Torrential rains and floods have hit northern and central provinces since October 30, killing and causing the missing of 79 people. The capital of Hanoi is the hardest-hit with 22 reported dead.-

Congratulations on Cambodia’s National Day

Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong have extended congratulations to their Cambodian counterparts on Cambodia’s 55th National Day (Nov. 9).

In their messages sent to King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, President of Cambodian Senate Chea Sim and President of Cambodian National Assembly Heng Samrin, the Vietnamese top leaders praised the achievements recorded by the Cambodian people over the past years.

They hoped that the Cambodian people will make further achievements for development, peace and prosperity in the country.

Deputy PM cum Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem also sent greetings to Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong, on the occasion.-