GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 27/6 New milestone in links between VN, Indonesia The forthcoming State visit of President Truong Tan Sang to Indonesia from today is a milestone in the relationship between Viet Nam and Indonesia, said Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Xuan Thuy in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency. Thuy said that Viet Nam and Indonesia share many similarities in tradition, culture and history and have nurtured their traditional friendship for more than half a century. In particular, since 2003, both countries reached a number of important agreements, laying a firm foundation for the development of their friendship and comprehensive cooperation in the future He noted that the two nations had signed a framework agreement on their friendship and comprehensive cooperation stretching into the 21st century, during President Megawati Soekarno's visit to Viet Nam in 2003. They also agreed to promote their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and signed a joint plan of action for the period 2012-15 during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit to Indonesia in 2011. During President Sang's visit, it is expected that ties will be lifted to a strategic partnership, the diplomat said, adding that the leaders of both countries will also witness the signing of a number of agreements in various areas, including extradition, energy and agriculture. Economic ties between the two countries has also yielded positive results with two-way trade exceeding US$4.6 billion in both 2011 and 2012, despite the global economic downturn. In the first six months of this year, two-way trade recorded nearly $2.1 billion in revenue, he added. Both countries are stepping up cooperation in defence, negotiations on an exclusive economic zone and education, he said, adding that the direct air route between HCM City and Jakarta which opened recently by the national-flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has helped to strengthen tourism and trade links between the two countries. FM to attend AMM-46 in Brunei Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will attend the 46 th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-46) and related meetings in Brunei from June 28 to July 2. The related meetings include the Post Ministerial Conferences with ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners (PMCs), the ASEAN+3 Ministerial Meeting, the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the 20 th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF20). As the most important ministerial meetings in the year of ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners, their main contents are to review and put forth measures to boost cooperation among ASEAN member states and between the grouping and its partners while discussing international and regional issues of mutual concern. In addition, the 6 th Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), 3 rd Friends of the Lower Mekong Group (FLM), 6th Mekong-Japan, 3 rd Mekong-the Republic of Korea (RoK) and 7 th Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Ministerial Meetings will be also held at the same time with AMM-46. Vietnam’s participation to AMM 46 and related meetings aims further consolidate ASEAN solidarity and cooperation, enhance the bloc’s active and responsible role in maintaining regional peace and security, uphold the central role of ASEAN in the new situation and strengthen its cooperation with partners as well as promote Vietnam’s image and position in the regional and international arena. It will also help foster relations between Vietnam and its important Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) partners such as the US, the RoK and India while expanding cooperation with Australia, New Zealand, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Those cooperative mechanisms will help Vietnam boost friendship and cooperation with other Mekong countries and take advantage of development partners’ assistance for the country’s socio-economic development projects. VN, Argentina vow to boost mutual support Vietnam and Argentina have agreed to enhance their coordination and mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation. The agreement was made during the June 23-25 visit to Argentina by a Vietnamese interdisciplinary delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. While staying in Argentina, Deputy Minister Son had a political consultation with his Argentinean counterpart Eduardo Antonio Zuain. He met with Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and other officials of Argentina. At the events, the Argentinean side expressed their admiration for great achievements Vietnamese people have obtained in the renewal process, contributing to heightening the country’s position in the world arena. Host and guest spoke highly of the active development in the bilateral relations over the past time. They held that the two countries still have a lot of potential for further cooperation. Argentinean officials said they are interested in increasing cooperation with Vietnam in higher education and a number of areas that Argentina has strength such as wind power, bio fuels, natural compressed air and medical anthropology. The Vietnamese side expressed their wish that the Argentinean Government and relevant ministries and branches will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest in the South American country, especially in telecommunications. The two sides agreed to accelerate the compilation of governmental-level agreements on telecommunication, double taxation avoidance and fighting crimes, ministerial-level deals on trade and investment promotion, and the programme on cultural cooperation for the 2013-2015 period for the signing of the documents at an early date. They held that the global economic crisis has created opportunities for developing countries to boost linkages within the framework of South-South cooperation. On this occasion, officials from the Argentinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared the country’s experience in joining the multilateral commercial system, international economic integration and Free Trade Agreement talks and settling disputes within the framework of the WTO. President meets businesses in HCM City President Truong Tan Sang on June 25 met with voters representing local businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and listened to their concerns. During the meeting, which took place in District 4, President Sang declared that the Party and Government are striving to improve the health of businesses and are particularly focusing on the agriculture sector. He said a series of initiatives to expand markets have been implemented in addition to exploiting existing markets, adding that Vietnam is negotiating free trade agreements with the alliance of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the 27 members of the European Union. The President called on local businesses to unite together and support and cooperate with each other to overcome the current difficulties. On the same day, many Party and Government leaders, including Politburo member and Standing member of the CPV Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, National Assembly Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son, and Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang also met voters to brief them on the outcomes of the recent fifth session of the 13 th National Assembly. Party leader encourages Thai investment Vietnam is ready to create the best possible conditions for Thai companies to do long-term business in the country, says Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Trong, who was visiting Thailand, made the commitment at a working session with leading Thai businesses in Bangkok on June 26. He noted that the ties of friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand, especially in trade and investment, have grown and flourished over the years, benefitting the two nations. The Vietnamese Party and State want to further bolster trade and investment ties with Thailand to attract more foreign investment, said the Party leader. As the two countries have considerable potential for stronger cooperation, Trong suggested that both sides improve the operational efficiency of their joint commission to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, finance, rice production and farm produce processing. He said both countries should work closely together to develop high quality human resources and urban infrastructure, while increasing and role and cooperation of their business organisations. Earlier the same day, Party leader Trong visited Thammasat University where he was presented with a honorary doctorate degree in politics. He thanked the university’s leadership for the honour and hoped Thailand, and Thammasat University in particular, will boost education cooperation with Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City, Budapest bolster ties Ho Chi Minh City and Hungary’s capital of Budapest signed a Memorandum of Understanding on establishment and enhance cooperation between the two cities in Ho Chi Minh City on June 26. Accordingly, the two sides pledged to exchange regular visits by both high-ranking officials and experts, and boost cooperation in economic, trade, culture and education. The MoU was signed on the occasion of a working visit by Budapest ’s Vice Mayor Szeneczey Balazs. During a reception for the guest, Vice Chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Hua Ngoc Thuan said Hungary has helped train many Vietnamese in the past, who are now playing the role as a bridge to further tighten the cooperation between the two countries in general, and the two cites in particular. Vice Mayor Balazs suggested HCM City and Budapest can cooperate in fields of public transport, clean water and sewage treatment, and urban development and management. Budapest has many experiences in these fields which it is willing to share with HCM City, he added.- WB-funded water supply project to benefit Thanh Hoa people A four-year rural water supply and sanitation programme costing nearly 26.7 million USD was launched in central Thanh Hoa province on June 25. The programme is part of a wider 200 million USD project implemented by the World Bank and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which targets Thanh Hoa and the seven Red River Delta provinces. It will provide clean water for 45,800 local households and help 114,500 people access a sustainable supply between now and 2017. Over 175,000 households in the province are also to be fitted with hygienic toilets by 2017. This year, 2.15 million USD will be used to carry out the work in 24 coastal communes in Hau Loc, Nga Son and Hoang Hoa districts. VNN/VNS/VNA