Political Headlines 22/1 Leaders convey Tet greetings, laud work for national causes State and Government leaders yesterday, Jan 21, conveyed warm Tet (Lunar New Year) greetings to a wide cross-section of society including Catholics, staff of the Viet Nam Red Cross and the Ha Noi Police.   President Truong Tan Sang visited the Ha Noi Police on the occasion of Tet, and called on them to improve their skills and professionalism in actively preventing and fighting all kinds of crime. President Truong Tan Sang visited the Ha Noi Police on the occasion of Tet, and called on them to improve their skills and professionalism in actively preventing and fighting all kinds of crime. He praised their achievements, saying they have contributed to ensuring political stability, national security and social order. The President also visited the Northeastern Mobile Police Regiment under the Ministry of Public Security yesterday. He applauded the mobile police forces for fulfilling their 2013 tasks, particularly in providing security for major national and international events held in the country. The mobile police force had also dealt with economic, drug-related and other kinds of crimes, he said. He wished them a happy Tet and asked them to continue working towards ensuring security and social order during the festival. Next, Sang visited the Viet Nam Red Cross and said it should continue developing and extending its reach, particularly to remote, mountainous and border and island areas this year. They should also focus on increasing community-based humanitarian activities, disseminating information on important issues among the youth, promoting co-operation with relevant ministries and agencies and taking part in disaster prevention and control activities, he said. At a reception for a delegation of the Episcopal Council of the Catholic Church of Viet Nam, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said the Party, State and authorities at all levels had always paid attention to creating favourable conditions for religious activities in accordance with the law. He said all religions were equal before law and the State respected and protected the freedom of belief, but no one was permitted to violate the right or take advantage of the right to break the law. Wishing the council's dignitaries and parishioners in general a happy New Year, he voiced his hope that Catholic followers would make more contributions to the country's construction and protection as well as fostering national unity. The country overcame many challenges and difficulties to reap comprehensive success in socio-economic spheres in 2013, Dung said, saying Catholics had made active contributions to the effort. Over the past years, Catholic followers had abided by the policies, guidelines and laws of the Party and State and actively engaged in the country's socio-economic development, poverty reduction and humanitarian activities, he said. Bui Van Doc, the council's President, was thankful for the good sentiments and attention of the Party and State to the council's operation as well as the activities of the Catholic community. Catholics would play a more active role in the country's socio-economic development, join hands with people across the country on the path ahead and lead good secular and religious lives, he pledged. Viet Nam, RoK speed up free trade talks Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will speed their negotiations for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) in 2014. Completing the talks soon was agreed upon by visiting Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his RoK counterpart, Hyun Oh-Seok, who is also the RoK Minister of Strategy and Finance, during their talks in Seoul yesterday, Jan 21.   Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) meets Speaker of the RoK's National Assembly Kang Chang-hee. Both sides voiced their pleasure at the growth of the bilateral friendship and cooperation, particularly since the establishment of their strategic cooperative partnership in 2009. They also agreed on major directions and measures, to bring the partnership to a new height for the two peoples' interests and to assure regional peace, stability, collaboration and development. They also agreed to increase high-ranking visits to enhance mutual trust and understanding, as well as strategic dialogues and result-oriented cooperation in diplomacy, defence and security. Both sides agreed to intensify their economic and trade relations, working to push two-way trade turnover to US$70 billion by 2020, and devising practical measures to reach a trade balance. RoK officials also said they will consider implementing optimal conditions for Vietnamese imports into the country and to reinforce cooperation in high technology and support industries. Also, Phuc affirmed that the Vietnamese Government would spend the RoK's $100 million low-interest loan on expanding e-governance. He also asked the RoK Government to continue its support to key cooperation projects between the two countries, including the Viet Nam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology, the Viet Nam Happiness Programme, and a national training centre for counter terrorism. Hyun Oh-Seok said the RoK considers Viet Nam to be an important partner in the region and in its official development assistance (ODA) provision policy. He pledged it would further ODA supplies to the Southeast Asian country, especially in green growth, infrastructure building and human resource training. At the talks, the two sides agreed to exert efforts to boost people-to-people exchanges, and protect the legitimate rights of their citizens residing in each country. Also, Phuc praised the signing of a memorandum of understanding on labour cooperation between the RoK Ministry of Employment and Labour and the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. He also asked the host side to soon provide quotas for Vietnamese workers to seek additional employment in the RoK. On the same day, Phuc met with Speaker of the RoK's National Assembly Kang Chang-Hee. Politburo member visits Long An border guards Politburo member and Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh on January 21 paid a pre-Tet visit to officers and soldiers of the Long Khot Border Guard Station in Thai Binh Trung commune, Vinh Hung district, the Mekong Delta province of Long An. Praising achievements the unit recorded over the past time, Anh said officers and soldiers in the station have surpassed various difficulties to fulfil their assigned tasks, protect the country’s territorial integrity and effectively combat crime. They have set up close ties with local people and authorities, thus contributing to the locality’s socio-economic development, improving people’s living standards and reducing poverty, he said. The Politburo member asked the unit to raise the sense of vigilance and combat readiness along with enhancing forces in key areas. Sen. Lieut. Colonel Tran Quoc Thuan, head of the Long Khot station, briefed Anh on the unit’s operations last year, saying the officers and soldiers have actively contributed to the locality’s socio-economic and cultural development. They have also partnered with patrol forces to protect the border, and detect and prevent violations of border regulations in a timely manner, ensuring border security in all situations. Party leader asks Thai Binh to focus on high-quality agriculture Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday, Jan 21, advised the Red River Delta province of Thai Binh to focus on developing a high-quality agriculture sector, ensuring that production is linked to processing and sales. The province should also tap its potentials in marine economy and aquaculture, he said in a meeting with provincial authorities. Trong expressed his pleasure at achievements recorded by the province over the past three years, including an annual average GDP growth rate of 9.1 percent and per capita income of VND26 million (US$1,238), up 61 percent over 2010. The province earned $975 million from last year, 2.2 times more than in 2010. The province has strengthened its agricultural sector, boosted development of new-style rural areas and developed large-scale farms with high economic efficiency, generating a food output of nearly 1.1 million tonnes. Alongside the economic advances, the province should fight harder against the degradation of political thought and virtue, uphold the role of the Party members and forge closer relationships with the people, Trong said. For their part, provincial officials proposed the building of a coastal economic zone and a highway. They also wanted a transport route linking provinces in the region to be upgraded. The Party leader visited Thuy Van Commune in Thai Thuy District to see first hand a new-style rural area being developed in the province. He offered incense at a memorial to Nguyen Duc Canh, a leader of the revolution and the trade union movement. Programme launched to mark Vietnam-Sweden ties A programme to celebrate the 45 th anniversary of Vietnam-Sweden diplomatic ties opened in Hanoi on January 21. Addressing the opening ceremony, Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Camilla Mellander affirmed that Vietnam and Sweden are reliable partners in politics, economics, culture and education, bringing benefits to both nations. The two countries have identified economics and trade as the focus of their bilateral relations, with priorities having been given to the health service, clean technology, information technology and transport, the diplomat said. She added Sweden considers Vietnam, an ASEAN-EU coordinator, one of its important partners in ASEAN. Two-way trade between the two countries exceeded one billion USD in 2013, she said, adding that over 60 Swedish companies have set up representative offices in Vietnam. Le Linh Lan, Deputy Director of the European Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Sweden is the first Western country to provide and maintain official development assistance to Vietnam since 1967. The Swedish government has so far supplied 3.4 billion USD in non-refundable aid to the Southeast Asian country, she added. To mark the two countries’ diplomatic ties this year, the Swedish Embassy plans to organise at least one event every month. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Embassy in Sweden is preparing for activities introducing Vietnam to the European country. Press hailed for role in capital’s development Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao has attributed the capital’s impressive growth to the enthusiastic contribution of press agencies, especially in the mass mobilisation work. Speaking at a meeting with the press in Hanoi on January 21 on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, the Hanoi official said the press has played an active part in the fights against corruption, extravagance and social evils. Press agencies have also raised their voice against the distortion and deformation of hostile forces while reflecting shortcomings and weaknesses in the leadership and management of the city at different levels, he said. Over the past time, Hanoi has given special attention to the operation and development of the press, Thao said, adding that the city has enhanced exchanges and dialogues with the press along with creating favourable conditions for timely and comprehensive coverage of Hanoi. He voiced his hope that press agencies will uphold their revolutionary role to make more contributions to the development of the country and the capital city in particular. Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association Ha Minh Hue thanked the capital for its coordination in information supply, expressing his wish that municipal authorities and press agencies will partner with each other more closely in the information work. Australia Day marked in HCM City The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-Australia Friendship Association (VAFA)’s Ho Chi Minh City Chapter on January 21 jointly held a ceremony to mark the 226 th anniversary of Australia Day (January 26). Addressing the event, President of the VAFA’s HCM City Chapter Luong Van Ly said since Vietnam and Australia lifted their relationship to a comprehensive partnership in September 2009, the two countries’ linkage has developed strongly. He reflected on their two-way trade in the first nine months of 2013 which reached 3.55 billion USD, representing a year-on-year increase of 10 percent. The official highlighted the significant contributions made by Australian people in Vietnam as well as the Vietnamese community in the host country to the bilateral relationship. He said Vietnam consistently pursues the policy of attaching importance to and wishing to further strengthen the comprehensive partnership with Australia, for the interests of the two countries’ people, and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large. Australian Consul General in HCM City John McAnulty said Vietnam has seen significant development achievements, adding that Australia has closely cooperated with Vietnam and supported the country during its development process. Commenting on an array of cooperation areas between the two countries, such as education, trade, investment, national defence and cross-border crime combating, he said Australia is making every effort to help Vietnam build necessary infrastructure. Vietnam is the fourth largest aid receiver and one of the most important partners of Australia in Asia-Pacific, he said, voicing his hope that the time-tested economic ties between the two countries will continue developing in the future. Front leader offers Tet gifts to children Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan visited and presented gifts to Tam Binh Child Protection Centre in Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc District on January 21 on the occasion of the 2014 Lunar New Year. Chairman Nhan praised the centre officials’ enthusiasm over the past years. He said the centre needs to develop programmes to teach living skills to the children so that they can easily integrate into the community. The centre was established in 1975. It operates under the city’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. The centre cares for 218 children from newborns to children of 18 years old, 70 of them are disabled. Cambodia confirms no interference in Vietnamese affairs Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC) on January 21 rejected a proposal asking the Government to intervene in the case of some Khmer people arrested in the south-western region of Vietnam for violating the country’s laws. Khmer people living in Vietnam are Vietnamese citizens, under the management of the Vietnamese Government, and must abide by the country’s laws, said Ouch Borith, Secretary of State at the MFAIC, in a January 17 paper sent to Chairman of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom (KKK) Federation in Cambodia Son Duong. Ouch Borith underscored that Cambodia and Vietnam are independent countries with their own sovereignty. Cambodia will not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, he stressed. Earlier on January 7, KKK organisations in Cambodia sent a letter to MFAIC Minister Hor Nam Hong, asking the Cambodian Government to put pressure on the Vietnamese Government to release the Khmer people who were detained for violating Vietnamese law. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA