Political News Headlines 6/5 PM to attend 24th ASEAN Summit in Myanmar Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will lead a Vietnamese delegation to the 24th ASEAN Summit scheduled for May 10-11 in Myanmar's capital city Nay Pyi Taw. His invitation has come from Myanmar President U Thein Sein. The last ASEAN Summit was held in Brunei in October last year. It focused on the formation of an ASEAN Community by 2015. PM welcomes new Kazakh ambassador Vietnam has paid special attention to its traditional friendship with Kazakhstan and wishes to step up its result-oriented cooperation with the country in various fields for mutual development. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the remarks at his reception for new Kazakh Ambassador to Vietnam Beketzhan Zhumakhanov in Hanoi on May 5. He said he expects that the ambassador will work closely with Vietnamese agencies to accelerate the two countries’ partnership in economics, trade, and tourism among other fields. The leader suggested both sides support each other at international forums and speed up negotiations for a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan. Ambassador Zhumakhanov held out hope that he will be supported during his working term while pledging to spare no effort for bilateral ties to grow strongly in the future. He took the occasion to ask for businesses from both sides to explore partnership and investment opportunities, proposing the organisation of a business forum for Kazakh companies in Vietnam to seek deals on tourism, hotel services and the apparel industry. Party chief meets left-wing Mexican politician Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has backed moves for better implementation of agreements and exchanges of information with the Mexican Labour Party. Trong was speaking at a meeting with visiting Labour Party National Co-ordinator Alberto Anaya Gutierrez, who will attend the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory. Trong congratulated the Mexican political party on the success of an international conference themed "Parties and a new society". He also spoke highly of its contribution to achievements shared by the left-wing forces in Latin America. Anaya, who is also a congressman and President of the Mexico-Viet Nam Friendship Parliamentarian Group, emphasised the significance of the Dien Bien Phu victory to the people across the world. He talked of the results of his meeting with head of the CPV's Central Committee's Commission for External Relations, Hoang Binh Quan, including ways of boosting co-operation between the two parties. Politburo member accords warm welcome for ‘special' envoy Politburo member Le Hong Anh hosted a reception yesterday for visiting Japanese-Vietnamese Special Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro. Anh, who is also permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, thanked the ambassador for his contributions to intensifying friendship between the two countries during the past 20 years. He said the Vietnamese Party and Government were determined to strictly punish corrupt acts to safeguard the country's investment environment. Sugi Ryotaro suggested the two countries co-ordinate more closely to effectively carry out Japan's official development assistance (ODA) projects. Vietnam defines culture as driving force for development Vietnam has always defined culture as the spiritual foundation of the society and the driving force and ultimate goal of socio-economic development, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh has said. The minister made the statement at the United Nations General Assembly thematic debate on “Culture and Sustainable Development in the Post-2015 Development Agenda” in New York on May 5. He stated that in 2009, the Government of Vietnam adopted the “National Strategy on Culture Development until 2020” with specific programmes, measures and action plans. “The strategy aims to ensure that culture contributes to sustainable development in line with international trends reflected in relevant resolutions, recommendations and international treaties of the United Nations, including those of UNESCO,” he added. As a developing country actively engaging in the world, Vietnam affirms the important role of culture in the global post-2015 development agenda, said Anh, who stressed the need to include culture in sustainable development programmes. “Vietnam calls for strengthened cooperation and global partnership with participation of all relevant stakeholders, including Governments, the United Nations, the business sector and civil society to ensure that cultural elements are deeply absorbed into development programmes of each nation and the international community,” he said. The country highly appreciates the United Nations General Assembly, Governments, international organisations and relevant partners for supporting developing countries in setting up and planning of sustainable development policies, capacity building, human resources development and technical assistance in order to assert an adequate role of culture in the sustainable development programmes of all countries. Japanese-Vietnamese Special Ambassador welcomed Politburo member Le Hong Anh hosted a reception in Hanoi on May 5 for visiting Japanese-Vietnamese Special Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro. Anh, who is also permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, thanked the ambassador for his contributions to intensifying the two countries’ friendship and mutual understanding over the past 20 years. He confirmed the determination of the Vietnamese Party and Government to prevent and strictly punish corrupt acts in order to ensure the country’s investment environment. Sugi Ryotaro said that the Japanese Government’s adjusted policies will better facilitate both sides’ cooperation, especially in security. He suggested the two countries closely coordinate to effectively carry out Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) projects. The diplomat affirmed that in his position he will do his utmost to further promote the Japan-Vietnam strategic partnership. 60-year Dien Bien Phu victory introduced in Algeria Vietnamese ambassador Vu The Hiep on May 5 briefed local Algerian press on Vietnam’s victory of the Dien Bien Phu battle over French colonialism 60 years ago. The diplomat recalled Vietnamese people’s protracted resistance war against French colonialism, culminating in the victory in Dien Bien Phu in 1954, putting an end to France’s colonial rule for more than 80 years. He said that the Dien Bien Phu triumph created the prerequisite for a number of colonised nations to rise up and wrest back national independence, leading to the complete fall of the colonial system around the globe. Hiep highlighted the significance of the historical event, saying the world has learned valuable lessons from the victory which remain fresh today.   At the press briefing, the diplomat answered local reporters’ questions relating to Vietnam’s ongoing Doi Moi (Renewal) process, its achievements, as well as the friendship between Vietnam and Algeria. He stressed Vietnam is always a good friend of Algeria in its current process of national construction. Source: VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA