GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 18/9 Denmark paves way for a greener future President Truong Tan Sang today (Sept 18) starts a three-day state visit to Denmark. John Nielsen, Danish Ambassador to Viet Nam, has revealed that during the president's visit he will meet the Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and together they will witness the signing of a Comprehensive Partnership declaration, reflecting a new level of political and commercial ties between the two countries. More than 10 agreements will be signed during the state visit, among them at least five commercial agreements relating to green growth – a major area of opportunity for both countries, according to Nielsen. Viet Nam is encountering numerous challenges as it bids to fully embrace a green economy. Meanwhile, Denmark is an international frontrunner when it comes to green technology and expertise and is willing to help Viet Nam in the future, according to the ambassador. Denmark has provided more than US$1.2 billion in ODA grants to Viet Nam over the last 20 years. "The trade between our countries reached a peak last year and is expected to increase in the coming years. That is why the Danish Prime Minister launched a Danish Growth Strategy for Viet Nam during her visit last year," Nielsen said. "We intend to forge an even stronger partnership with Viet Nam in the coming year." Viet Nam, Cuba to boost co-operation Viet Nam would do its utmost to boost co-operation in economics, trade, culture, education, science and technology with Cuba, said Construction Minister Trinh Dinh Dung yesterday, Sept 17.   The 31st meeting of the Viet Nam-Cuba Intergovernmental Committee for Economic, Commercial, Scientific and Technological Co-operation. Dung was addressing the 31st meeting of the Viet Nam-Cuba Intergovernmental Committee for Economic, Commercial, Scientific and Technological Co-operation. The minister, who led the Vietnamese side, highlighted the encouraging outcomes of the Viet Nam-Cuba co-operative programme on rice production for the 2009-2015 period. He said the achievements helped the Latin American country raise its rice output, ease its dependence on rice imports and ensured on-the-spot food security. He noted the co-operation in biological technology, vaccine production and healthcare. Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Diaz, who heads the Cuban Subcommittee, said he hoped there would be more Vietnamese investments in oil and mineral exploration and exploitation, renewable energy, tourism, information technology, and agriculture. Dinh The Huynh, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Publicity and Education, received Rolando Alfonso Borgesa, head of the Ideological Department of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, who is on a visit to Viet Nam from September 15-21. Huynh said the two sides should discuss mutual challenges in communication and education so they could map out measures to boost co-operation. For his part, the Cuban guest said he hoped Viet Nam would continue sharing its experience in Party building, socio-economic development and renewal with Cuba. Cuban media highlights Fidel’s past visit to Vietnam The Cuban press has given extensive coverage on the event on the 40th anniversary of former Cuban President Fidel Castro’s visit to Vietnam and the liberated zone in Southern Vietnam. Granma Newspaper, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba on September 16 highlighted the historic visit as a milestone in the friendship and solidarity between the two nations. It recalled the warm feelings of the Vietnamese Party, State and Government leaders and people towards Commander-in-chief Fidel Castro in Hanoi on September 12, 1973, and his journey to the liberated zone in the central province of Quang Tri where he raised high the all-victorious flag of the Vietnam liberation army at the 241 military base in Quang Tri. Meanwhile, the website “Cubadebate” published an article by Juan Marrero, one of the Cuban journalists who accompanied Fidel Castro during his Vietnam visit. According to Juan Marrero, thousands of Vietnamese people welcomed Fidel Castro and his entourage along 10 kilometres of road. He said Fidel Castro’s visit impressed all people in Hanoi. The Cuban Television also screened a documentary film on the visit, which was directed by late director Santiago Alvarez. Ambassador: Vietnam on right track for int’l integration Vietnam’s economic development and global integration are on the right track, Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Nguyen Trung Thanh told delegations in Geneva on September 17. Vietnam is accelerating its administrative reforms while striving to become a trustworthy partner of the international community, the diplomat said. Vietnam hopes to promote the human rights protection as a candidate to the Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 tenure, Thanh noted. Sharing the ambassador’s views, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said Vietnam has participated in an increasingly active manner in the WTO during its six years of membership. In addition to establishing relationship with major partners such as the WTO, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member countries, Vietnam has also strengthened its ties with such organisations as the Cairns Group of 19 agricultural product exporting countries and new WTO members. Vietnam is working with other WTO member states to remove bottlenecks from the Doha round of global trade talks, with a solution sought before the ninth WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia next December. However, Khanh stressed the need for Vietnam to work harder in revamping its commercial system and integrate more actively in the global economy. Viet Nam, Hungary sign extradition agreement during president's visit Viet Nam and Hungary signed agreements on the extradition of criminals and the transfer of sentenced persons on Monday. This was done during State President Truong Tan Sang's official visit to the European country. Other co-operative documents were also signed, including a memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the Vietnamese Health Ministry and the Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources, a deal on sports, physical training and a cultural plan for 2014-2016. The signings took place at meetings between President Sang, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, Kover Laszlo. The two sides said Viet Nam's stable economic growth and its market of 90-million people together with Hungary's strengths in pharmacy, agriculture, education training, information technology and processing farm produce were the foundation for the future. Sang said he hoped Hungary would continue backing Viet Nam during negotiations for a free trade agreement and provide Official Development Assistance to the Southeast Asian country. He pledged Viet Nam's willingness to help Hungary enhance linkages with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its member countries. Sang attended a business forum yesterday (Sept 17) that drew representatives from 300 leading Vietnamese and Hungarian businesses. Sang said economic co-operation was an important motivator to strengthen the fine relations between the two countries. He said the forum would help businesses in the two countries find co-operation opportunities, particularly in vocational training, agricultural production, breeding and energy. Sang affirmed that Viet Nam was willing to create favourable conditions for Hungarian businesses to invest in the country. Apart from education and training, Viet Nam also had preferential policies for investors investing in agriculture, breeding and food production, he said. Co-operation between the two countries would help create a co-operative network to help Hungarian businesses enter ASEAN and Asian markets as well as help Vietnamese businesses to enter European Union markets, Sang added. Addressing the forum, Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Navracsics Tibor said Hungary placed special attention on developing economic and trade relations with traditional friends, including Viet Nam. Two-way trade between the two countries reached US$120 million in 2012. Viet Nam, Russia plan economic co-operation Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and his Russian counterpart Olga Golodets agreed on the need to boost bilateral economic co-operation during a meeting in Moscow yesterday (Sept 17). The meeting also included the early signing of a free trade agreement between Viet Nam and the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus and the speeding-up of co-operation in the field of energy. The leaders were in consensus that they needed measures to further their strategic co-operation in science – technology and education – training and agreed to accelerate the signing of a relevant framework agreement. Nhan and his Russian host concurred that they should increase Russian scholarships for Viet Nam, step up the establishment of a Viet Nam – Russia Technology University, build a nuclear science and technology centre in Viet Nam and promote the teaching of Russian language and literature in Vietnamese educational institutions. They also planned to create all possible conditions for ministries, sectors, academies and research institutes to establish and expand co-operation. Earlier on the same day, Nhan met with First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Ivan Melnikov. He said that Viet Nam and Russia could broaden their co-operation in economics, banking, agriculture, transport, energy and the sea-based economy as well as traditional fields. The construction of joint universities and research centres had especially good prospects, he said, making education – training yet another area for strategic co-operation. For his part, Melnikov reiterated that the Russian parliament would back Viet Nam's proposals to further co-operation in education – training and the establishment of joint research and education – training institutes, while considering an agreement on the travel of individuals as well as military technical co-operation. Nhan on Monday attended a round-table seminar in Moscow titled Strategic co-operation in education and science-technology: The foundation for sustainable development of the Viet Nam-Russia strategic partnership". He noted that Viet Nam was grateful to Russia for training 25,000 Vietnamese doctorate holders and highly-qualified engineers in many fields. Delegates to the seminar agreed to study the possibility of opening joint-venture universities, and considering new directions for co-operation in shipbuilding, space research, health care, marine science, biology and satellite positioning. VN, NZ agree on ambitious plan to step up two-way trade Viet Nam and New Zealand yesterday (Sept 17) agreed to raise bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2015. The agreement was made during talks between Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Finance, Bill English. In an effort to realise the ambitious target, the two deputy PMs pledged implementation of the 2013-2016 Plan of Action and the tax avoidance agreement signed during Governor General Jerry Mateparae's visit to Viet Nam in August this year. During the talks, the two deputy PMs also agreed to increase exchanges of delegations and strengthen co-operation in security, tourism, agriculture, energy and mineral exploitation, and education. The two leaders also pledged to increase co-operation between the legislative bodies of both countries and increase people-to-people exchanges. Ninh affirmed Viet Nam's policy of valuing co-operation with countries in the South Pacific, including New Zealand. He thanked New Zealand for providing official development assistant (ODA) to Viet Nam and affirmed support for New Zealand's ASEAN Strategy, unveiled by Prime Minister John Key in July this year. He stressed Viet Nam would work closely with New Zealand and other relevant countries to resolve negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. English affirmed that New Zealand considered Viet Nam one of its most valued partners within the ASEAN community and the Asia-Pacific region. He said the New Zealand Government would continue providing ODA to Viet Nam at a steady level, adding that he was satisfied with the progress of New Zealand-funded development projects in the country. The two sides praised the partnership between Viet Nam and New Zealand, acknowledging co-operation at the political and socio-economic level. They discussed regional and international issues and agreed to co-operate closely at multilateral forums, including the East Asia Summit (EAS), Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum (APEC), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. Stronger ties with Japan would help VN economy Viet Nam wishes to further deepen its economic co-operation with Japan, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told outgoing Japanese Ambassador Tanizaki Yasuaki at a reception yesterday (Sept 17). Dung also asked Japan to maintain higher official development aid to Viet Nam and expressed hope that the two nations would co-operate closely in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, while making education-training and security-defence ties more productive. Dung said the two countries had similarities, especially in culture, and potentials and advantages to support each other during co-operation and development. The Japanese Ambassador said the two nations should continue to focus on strengthening co-operation in agriculture and security-defence and support each other at regional and international forums. Dung also applauded results of talks held between the Japanese defence minister and his Vietnamese counterpart, General Phung Quang Thanh, particularly agreements reached between the two sides in human resources training, bomb and mine clearance and military technical co-operation. The Japanese minister left Ha Noi yesterday (Sept 17), wrapping up his official visit to Viet Nam. ASEAN adopts joint statement on fight against transnational crime Public Security Minister, Genaral Tran Dai Quang has highlighted the Vietnam’s achievements in its international cooperation in the fight against transnational crime at a regional meeting. The 9th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), which opened in the Lao capital of Vientiane on September 17, aims to devise plans to enhance cooperation in combating transnational crime. Speaking at the meeting, Genaral Tran Dai Quang proposed to further strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies among countries in the region and the world, especially information sharing and the exchange of experiences. He also urged regional countries to take advantage of support from dialogue partners in order to implement ASEAN’s programmes and plans on crime prevention and fight. The meeting issued a Joint Statement which confirms to enhance cooperation on the fight against transnational crime for the sake of stability and development in the region and the world. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA