GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 13/11 Hungary keen to boost judicial partnership Hungary was willing to share its experiences and co-operate with Viet Nam on judicial matters, President of the Supreme Court of Hungary, Peter Darak, who is visiting Viet Nam, told President Truong Tan Sang in a meeting in Ha Noi yesterday, Nov 12. President Truong Tan Sang (R) receives a delegation from the Supreme Court of Hungary led by its president, Peter Darak in Ha Noi yesterday.  The two agreed to continue developing the traditional friendship and cooperation in areas of mutual potential, including the judiciary. President Sang said Viet Nam was negotiating and signing a number of international agreements, with a focus on human resources training and enhancing the capacity of judicial officials. Darak said that in working sessions with Vietnamese agencies, a number of similarities become obvious, highlighting cooperation opportunities. Improving the qualification of judges was a long-term objective that required the absorption of international experiences. Vietnam, Italy hold defence policy dialogue The first deputy ministerial-level defence policy dialogue between Vietnam and Italy took place in Hanoi on November 12. The Vietnamese delegation to the dialogue was led by Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh and the Italian delegation was headed by Deputy Defence Minister Domenico Rossi. The two sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concerns and reviewed bilateral defence cooperation over the recent time. They put forth measures to enhance the ties, especially in addressing the consequences of war aftermaths; training human resources; joining the UN peace-keeping activities; and collaborating in the defence industry. The two sides agreed to set up a joint working team soon to realise the commitments that were made during the dialogue. Minister of Defence General Phung Quang Thanh later hosted a reception for Domenico Rossi who pledged to do his utmost to drive the defence ties between Vietnam and Italy forward, thus contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and beyond. Minister Thanh confirmed that the outcomes of the dialogues will help reinforce the growing comprehensive partnership between the two countries. Vietnam asks Japan for more help to Mekong River Commission Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made several important proposals to promote sustainable cooperation in the Mekong River region, including more help from Japan to the Mekong River Commission, at the sixth Mekong-Japan Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on November 12. He stressed that regional connectivity should not be limited to the relations between Mekong nations or those belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) but be extended to other regions in order to help the Mekong countries participate more deeply in the regional and global value chains. The Vietnamese leader suggested that Japan help study the possibility of building new multimodal transport routes linking the Southern and East-West Economic Corridors with the Indian subcontinent and South Asia. He emphasised the need to combine economic development with environmental protection, and called for more assistance from Japan to the Mekong River Commission, especially in conducting studies on the sustainable management and use of Mekong water resource, including assessment of impacts of hydroelectric dams on the Mekong’s main stream. In addition to cooperation at the governmental level, Mekong-Japan collaboration should be extended to that between the two sides’ businesses and localities, he added, naming agriculture, aquaculture and logistics as potential fields for partnership at local levels. The Vietnamese PM also took the occasion to thank the Japanese Government for its valuable support for the region and reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to the Mekong-Japan cooperation for sustainable development, peace, stability and prosperity in the region. At the event, leaders of Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Japan agreed to strengthen Mekong regional connectivity to serve the building of an ASEAN Community by 2015 with attention paid to developing economic corridors and new roads linking the Mekong sub-region with the Indian subcontinent. They reached a consensus on building a “Mekong Industry Development Vision” with the aim of speeding up the establishment of the regional value chains and facilitating business activities between the sub-region and Japan. The leaders also reaffirmed the vital importance of managing and sustainably developing Mekong water resource and committed to fostering cooperation with local and international organisations in this field. The summit issued a joint statement and agreed to hold the next summit in Japan in July 2015. UN committee appreciates Vietnam’s progress in soc-economic, cultural rights Members of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) spoke highly of Vietnam’s progress in reducing poverty and ensuring social security and equality and non-discrimination for all people and all regions at the committee’s 53rd session in Geneva, Switzerland. In presenting the country report at the session, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of ensuring human rights and political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights enjoyed by citizens. The Vietnamese government always sees humans as the goal, the centre and the momentum of development, and has been consistent in its goal of a sustainably-growing economy where all citizens enjoy social welfare services and good conditions, the Vietnamese representative said. He made it clear that the enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights is an extensive, regular and continuous process in Vietnam. CESCR members made recommendations to help Vietnam continue fine-tuning legal regulations and building more policies and plans for ensuring the effective implementation of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly in regards to women, children, vulnerable groups, the disabled and ethnic minorities living in remote and poor areas. The Vietnamese government will thoroughly consider recommendations and conclusions adopted at the end of the session, ensuring that Vietnam is a responsible and active player in the international community, Dung assured. Vietnam ratified and acceded to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1982. The CESCR is a body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of ICESCR by its State parties. All State parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are implemented. They must report initially within two years of accepting the Covenant and thereafter every five years. Vietnamese military chief visits Singapore Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty is making official visit to Singapore at the invitation of Chief of Defence Force Lt. Gen. Ng Chee Meng. The visit, running from November 12-15, is intended to tighten the defence ties between the two countries and contribute to the maintenance of regional peace, stability and development. The two sides are to discuss regional issues of mutual interests and measures to implement effectively the collaboration contents featured in the Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation signed between the two countries in 2009. PM meets Russian, Australian counterparts Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met his Russian and Australian counterparts in Myanmar’s capital city Nay Pyi Taw on November 12 to discuss boosting bilateral ties. Meeting Russian PM Dmitri Medvedev, the Vietnamese leader asked for stronger efforts to realise their comprehensive strategic partnership and complete the key agreements to be signed during the Party General Secretary’s upcoming visit to Russia, accelerating the negotiations on the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Both PMs talked extensively about enhancing cooperation on politics, economics, national defence-security, education-training, energy, and science-technology. With bilateral trade expected to reach 10 billion USD in the future, Medvedev promised to support Vietnamese goods in entering the Russian market, especially agricultural goods. He also agreed with Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance to address disputes peacefully and in line with international law. In a meeting with the Australian PM Tony Abbott, PM Nguyen Tan Dung called for Australia ’s support for Vietnamese exports and scholarships for Vietnamese students. Speaking highly of Australia ’s official development assistance to Vietnam , he said the country was keen to see more Australian support for sustainable development and climate change response. The PM suggested the Vietnam-Australia action programme be adopted soon. With regard to the East Sea issue, Abbott expressed his approval of ASEAN and Vietnam ’s position on dealing with the dispute. Vietnamese Navy visits Indonesia Two Vietnamese naval ships arrived in Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, Indonesia on November 12, starting an official visit of Vietnamese Navy delegation to an ASEAN member state. Indonesia is the first stop on Dinh Tien Hoang HQ-011 and Ly Thai To HQ-012 fleet’s trip to three Southeast Asia countries, with Brunei and the Philippines up next. The 4-day visit of the Vietnamese Navy delegation aims to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries, and jointly prepare for the 60 th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. The delegation, led by Rear Admiral and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff Nguyen Van Kiem, were warmly welcomed by Colonel Wiweka, head of the Naval Region III under the Jakarta-based Western Fleet Command. In his welcoming speech, Indonesian Colonel Wiweka spoke highly of the delegation’s visit, adding that he was delighted at the practical cooperation between the two forces, which has greatly contributed to the maintenance of order and security in the region. On his part, Rear Admiral Nguyen Van Kiem highlighted that the initiatives to strengthen bilateral cooperation on offshore activities were implemented in different forms at all levels, helping the two navies increase their capabilities. On the same day, the Vietnamese delegation paid a courtesy visit to Indonesian navy leaders and Jakarta’s municipal authorities. The delegation also plans to participate in a friendly volleyball competition with the host, as well as a number of training exercises and drills on search and rescue operations at sea during their visit. They will depart for Brunei on November 15. Source: VNS/VNA