Political News Headlines 7/5 Vietnam, Brunei seek to deepen defence ties The Vietnamese army always attaches importance to further developing relations with Brunei, a leading officer has said.   Vice Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh receives Colonel Haij Hadi Bin Haji Saim (Source: VNA) Vice Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, made the statement during a reception for the visiting Director of Brunei’s Defence Academy, Colonel Haij Hadi Bin Haji Saim. Host and guest reviewed their bilateral cooperation in defence in recent times. Minh stressed that the two sides need to further foster their defence cooperation through promoting visit exchanges at all levels, as well as swiftly concretising the agreement signed between the two countries’ navies last year. He added that the two countries should also boost information and experience exchange in all fields, contributing to upgrading their defence ties to a higher level. For his part, Haij said he hopes that the defence ministries of both countries will continue creating favourable conditions for their defence academies to cooperate more effectively in the future. Central Military Commission pays tribute Dien Bien fallen soldiers A delegation of the Party Central Military Commssion and the Defence Ministry paid tribute to fallen combatants in northwestern Dien Bien province on May 6. Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh, who is also a Politburo member and Deputy Secretary of the Commission, visited some military units in the province. On the same day, Tin Tuc (News), a newspaper of the Vietnam News Agency, in collaboration with the Nam Duong Investment Joint Stock Company presented 600 gifts worth VND300 million (US$1,400) to ethnic minority children in six kindergartens and the SOS Children’s Village in Dien Bien Phu City. Politburo member receives Lao, Cambodian Deputy PMs Politburo member Le Hong Anh on May 6 welcomed Lao Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An.   Politburo member Le Hong Anh and participants at the reception (Source: VNA) They are in Vietnam to attend the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory (May 7) which led to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Accord in which France agreed to withdraw its forces from the three Indochinese countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. At the Hanoi meeting, Anh, who is also permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, congratulated the Lao and Cambodian peoples on their achievements during their national construction and development. He spoke highly of the fine development in the relations between Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia, saying that the Vietnamese Party, Government and ministries will do all they can to further strengthen the ties, thus contributing to the prosperity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to which the three are members. The guests said that their countries always treasure their traditional relations with Vietnam. They agreed to continue boosting the connections for the development of each nation, and for the peace, stability and prosperity of the whole region. Insignia awarded to Japanese-Vietnamese Special Ambassador The Ministry of Public Security has presented an insignia to Japanese-Vietnamese Special Ambassador Sugi Ryotaro, acknowledging his contributions to boosting its partnership with Japanese counterparts. At the Hanoi ceremony on May 5, Minister General Tran Dai Quang praised Sugi Ryotaro for helping enhance mutual understanding between the two countries through cooperation programmes and cultural exchanges, especially the Japanese side’s assistance to fire prevention and fighting and search and rescue activities. He said he hopes that the ambassador, who is also the Vietnamese-Japanese Special Ambassador, will continue to carry out activities to further promote the affiliation between the ministry and Japan’s competent agencies. He also hoped that the Japanese side would donate more fire-fighting engines and equipment to the ministry and help it hold delegation exchanges to learn about Japan’s experience in fire prevention and fighting and rescue. Sugi Ryotaro pledged to do his utmost to bring the two sides’ friendship and partnership to a new height for peace and mutual interests of the two people, the region and the world at large. Viet Nam, US sign nuclear agreement Viet Nam and the US officially signed a bilateral agreement on using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes yesterday, May 6. Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan and US Ambassador to Viet Nam David Shear inked the accord, called the 123 Agreement. This pact was initialed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and the US Secretary of State John Kerry on October 10 last year as part of the 23rd ASEAN summit in Brunei. The agreement takes its inspiration from the spirit of Section 123 of the United States Atomic Energy Act of 1954, titled "Cooperation with Other Nations". It aims to create a legal framework for enhancing co-operation between Viet Nam and its US partners in research, training, development and application of nuclear energy, especially in the Southeast Asian nation. The 30-year deal will open up great prospects for both countries to expedite specific co-operation projects in radiation application and the development of nuclear power for the socio-economic growth of each country, said Minister Quan. Viet Nam is pursuing nuclear power to deal with its present energy shortage. The hope is that nuclear energy can address more than 10 per cent of the national power demand by 2030. The country's nuclear power market is estimated as the second largest in Southeast Asia with estimated turnover of $50 billion in the next two decades, preceded only by China. China's moving of oil rig into East Sea provocative: US The State Department of the US on May 6 warned against China 's moving of its oil rig into the East Sea , describing it as a provocative act that can cause instability in the region. Speaking at a press conference, spokeswoman Jen Psaki further said that the US is closely monitoring the move, adding that given the recent history of tensions in the sea, China 's decision to operate its oil rig in the waters is "provocative and unhelpful to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region". "These events point to the need for claimants to clarify their claims in accordance with international law, and reach an agreement... about what types of activities should be permissible within disputed areas," she stressed.  Source: VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA