Political News Headlines 25/2 Viet Nam stands by Venezuelan gov't Viet Nam believes Venezuela will continue to develop stably, with its social safety and Constitution intact, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said yesterday, Feb 24. This will foster regional peace, co-operation and development, he said, responding to queries from the media regarding the current situation in Venezuela. Binh pointed out that Venezuela is a traditional ally and important partner of Viet Nam in Latin America. Viet Nam stands in solidarity with the government and the people of Venezuela, he said. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro in a TV interview on Sunday called for peace and co-existence in his country amid a possible coup conducted by the opposition. (For more information, see story page 8). Vietnam fosters judicial cooperation with France A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong is paying a working visit to France from February 22-25, with the aim of reforming the bilateral cooperative method in the fields of law and judiciary. At the delegation’s working session with France’s Superior Notaries Council on February 24, Cuong and the organisation’s Chairman Jean Tarrade signed a cooperation document between the two sides for 2014. Under this document, the Superior Notaries Council commits to helping Vietnam build the amended Notaries Law, which will be submitted to the National Assembly in May. France also pledges to support Vietnam in establishing its ties with the notary councils at French localities, and setting up a National Notaries Association. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Tarrade congratulated Vietnam on becoming a member of the International Union of Notaries since October 2013, adding that he is willing to support Vietnam in the organisation’s activities Minister Cuong spoke highly of the bilateral close coordination over the past two decades, saying that it has helped Vietnam in its legal and judicial reform. On February 22, the Vietnamese delegation had a working session with the Notaries Council of the Lyon region, during which the two sides discussed the organisation structure of France’s notary system, as well as the role of State management in training notaries. On February 25, Cuong will hold talks with his French counterpart Christiane Taubira. The delegation will also work with the French Supreme Administrative Court and the Paris Court of Cassation. Vietnam chairs high-level ECOSOC dialogue Le Hoai Trung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, chaired a high-level dialogue of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in New York on February 24. Themed “The changing development landscape: what does it mean for the UN system?” the dialogue drew up an agenda for discussions of a plenary ECOSOC session scheduled for February 24-26. It addressed the likely implications of a post-2015 agenda focused on sustainable development for UN operational activities for development and the changes required at different levels of the UN system for the Organization to continue to be a major actor in international development cooperation. This was the first time ECOSOC has held a separate session on development cooperation of the UN system. It took place at a time when the global context for development cooperation has changed significantly in the last decade, requiring concurrent and complex operational activities in multiple spheres. UN organisations and donors have acknowledged Vietnam’s development achievements, as well as its cooperation in the area. At the February 24 dialogue, a representative of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) confirmed Vietnam is a success story in sustainable development. Kanni Wignaraja, UN Development Operations Coordination Office (DOCO) Director, who worked in Vietnam for 10 years, said Vietnam is a rapidly developing economy and it is making every effort to strike a balance to ensure sustainable development. Currently, Vietnam is a middle income nation which has made a significant contributing to other developing economies, she said. VFF President meets Chinese Premier The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) should work more closely together to perform their assigned tasks, raising mutual understanding between the two peoples, said VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan. Meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on February 24, Nhan said the move is in harmony with the Vietnam–China comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership. He said Vietnam is actively realising agreements reached during Li’s visit to Vietnam last October, including three cooperation agreements on land, sea and finance. He proposed the Premier direct Chinese agencies to materialise these agreements as soon as possible. Li hailed Nhan’s first visit in his role as VFF President, saying that what was reached during the visit will be helpful to bilateral ties, enabling both sides to share experience in management and national development. Vietnam is a neighbour and key partner of China, the host said, adding China is keen to facilitate high-level visits and strengthen political trust for the sake of the unceasing, sound and stable development of relations between the two nations. Political doctrine website goes live Politburo member and Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam's Central Committee Dinh The Huynh launched the online edition of the Political Theory magazine yesterday (Feb 24) in Ha Noi. The websites lyluanchinhtri.vn or lyluanchinhtri.org.vn feature the research and scientific voice of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. An English version of the review will be published every three months. Political Theory features the scientific research conducted at the academy and information on the education of late President Ho Chi Minh's ideals and Marxism, while reporting on State and Party policies. Speaking at the launch ceremony, Huynh praised the academy's contributions to the new publication, and asked the editorial board to continue supplying scientific and factual information to the Party. The review should research and learn from the experience of foreign countries on how to share information in an innovative way while building relations with countries around the world, he said. Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry holds talks with Vietnam News Agency Media agencies of Viet Nam and Thailand will have more opportunities to develop in the future, leading to better co-operation between the two countries, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday during a working visit with Vietnam News Agency in the Southern Region. Nuttavudh Photisaro praised the ongoing co-operation in information exchange between the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai Consulate General in HCM City with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) in particular. "Vietnam News Agency has played a very important role in providing information about the Thai country and people and has contributed to stronger ties between the two countries. I hope we continue to receive this kind of support from the agency in the future," he said. He said the meeting in HCM City would also help to promote co-operation between the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese media, particularly the VNA. At the event, the Thai deputy permanent secretary said he wanted to learn more about the Vietnamese Government's policies on educating the public about the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015. Speaking at the meeting, Nguyen Tien Le, director of VNA's Office in the Southern Region, said the VNA and other media agencies in Viet Nam would disseminate necessary information as well as preparations to the public and enterprises prior to the establishment of the ASEAN Community. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA