Political News 21/8 Vietnam calls for immediate end to Gaza violence Vietnam has voiced its opposition to the use of force against civilians in the Gaza Strip, and urged the parties concerned to immediately halt it and hold negotiations for a solution to the conflict. President of the Vietnam Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian People Ho Anh Dung said at a talk on Gaza situation held in Hanoi on August 20. Dung also stressed that in July his organisation and the Vietnam Committee for Solidarity and Cooperation with Asia, Africa and Latin America, the Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation and the Vietnam Peace Committee issued a joint statement calling on all parties to abide by international law and cooperate with the international community for prompt restoration of peace and stability in the region. Speaking at the event, Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam Saadi Salama called on the international community to strongly condemn criminal attacks by Israel and provide humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza . The diplomat also called for restructuring Gaza and the urged the international community to ask Israel not to renew its attack on Gaza. He also asked international community to help reach a long-term reconciliation and peace to this conflict. According to the United Nations, as of August 15 almost 2,000 Palestinians had been killed in the Gaza Strip and thousands injured. UAE, Vietnam target US$5 billion in trade   Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) need to increase all-round cooperation, aiming to raise bilateral trade value to US$5 billion this year. The agreement was reached at a meeting in Hanoi on August 20 between National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and UAE Ambassador to Vietnam Khalid Ibrahim Abdulaziz Shohail Al-Qahtani. Ngan highly valued the UAE’s achievements in national development and affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with the Middle East nation. She expressed her hope that UAE businesses, with their highly financial capability, will invest in potential areas in Vietnam.   UAE Ambassador Khalid congratulated Vietnam on its hosting of the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly in March 2015. Both host and guest shared the view that Vietnam and the UAE have great potential for enhancing the efficiency of bilateral cooperation, especially in trade, investment and labour. They said the two countries should maintain reciprocal visits to share experience in legislation, and work closely together at international forums. Vietnamese, Thai localities boost partnership The central province of Quang Nam and Thailand’s northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up their friendship and cooperation relations. Under the MoU, inked on August 20 in Tam Ky city in Quang Nam , the two sides agreed to work together for common development and prosperity on the basis of equality and mutual benefit in accordance with the law of both countries. They will collaborate in various fields, especially areas of each other’s strength and demand. At the same time, Quang Binh and Ubon Ratchathani will encourage their departments and agencies to maintain close, direct contact and increase exchanges of delegations in order to realise the MoU. The pair will also organise an annual meeting for senior officials to review their cooperation and discuss partnership for the following year. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ubon Ratchathani Governor Serm Chainarong expressed his delight at the newly-reached relationship, pledging to exert every effort to promote the ties. He said he believes with desires and willingness to promote deeper mutual understanding will allow the two provinces to enjoy effective and long-lasting relations. Currently, Quang Nam is hosting a number of projects invested by Thai businesspeople, mostly in breeding and animal feed production. President urges firm protection of territorial integrity President Truong Tan Sang has urged the nation as a whole to uphold vigilance and resolve to firmly safeguard the motherland’s independence, freedom, national unification and territorial integrity in any circumstance. He made the request on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2). “This is our sacred and noble duty to our ancestors and older generations, as in the teaching of Uncle Ho: the Hung Kings founded the country, you and I must protect it, as well as to later generations,” President Sang wrote in an article to mark the anniversaries. “Sixty nine years ago, in the autumn of 1945, the Vietnamese people, under the flag of the Communist Party of Vietnam, conducted the great August Revolution, shattering the chains of the colonialist and feudal regime, regaining national independence and founding the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, a State of the people and for the people; our people rose from slavery to become the master of their country and their destiny. On September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly declared to the entire world the birth of an independent and free Vietnam, while affirming that the Vietnamese nation as a whole is resolved to protect their independence and freedom with all their spirit, their strength as well as their lives and properties. “Over the past nearly 70 years, our people have overcome countless hardship and challenges to build our country, improve people’s living conditions guided by Uncle Ho’s teaching: independence will mean nothing if the people cannot enjoy freedom and happiness. At the same time, we have sacrificed so much, including shedding our blood, to defeat all invaders and protect the motherland’s independence, freedom, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity,” the President wrote. He went on to say, “Now, in a world of a strong globalization process and intertwining complicated relations of both cooperation and fierce competition as well as struggle among different polities, economies and cultures, the prosperity and survival of each country and nation is no longer a matter of that country or nation alone. This poses both opportunities and challenges for all countries, particularly small ones, in protecting their own interests as well as their independence, freedom, unification and territorial integrity. In such circumstances, particularly amidst the complicated developments in the regional and global situations over recent years, our country more than ever needs to develop quickly and sustainably, thus enhancing our overall power and internal strength in all fields; at the same time we must uphold vigilance and resolve to firmly safeguard the motherland’s independence, freedom, national unification and territorial integrity in any circumstance.” The president stressed that in order to do this, all Vietnamese, be in any job and any position, must spare no effort to fulfil to the best their tasks and duties while actively fighting to stop and eliminate negative phenomena such as bureaucracy, corruption, wastefulness and irresponsibility. “We cannot accept those who always preach patriotism while involving in corruption and wastefulness for their own or their group’s interests, doing harm to national interests, impoverishing and weakening the country. Those people are “internal invaders”, the malignant tumours on the country which must be removed,” he said. President Sang said while the historical accomplishments of the nearly 30 years of “Doi Moi” (renewal) are the nation’s pride and win admiration from international friends, we cannot have peace of mind when thinking of the slow growth of the national economy, when many of our people are living in difficulties, and when corruption, irresponsibility, bureaucracy and power abuse still exist, causing anger and complaints among the people. He stressed that it is these negative phenomena that erode the people’s trust in the Party, the State and the regime and are the seed of disaster for the nation’s independence, freedom, unification and territorial integrity. Protecting the nation’s independence, freedom, unification and territorial integrity is the common cause of all Vietnamese, but the Party and the State, as the leader and manager of the country, have an especially great role and responsibility, the President noted. He instructed that therefore, Party organisations and committees at all levels as well as every Party cell and member must continue to implement the Party Central Committee’s resolution on Party building and the Politburo’s instruction on following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example. At the same time, efforts must be made to intensify the fight against the degradation in political ideal, morality and lifestyle among officials, Party members and public workers while implementing the new Constitution, towards building a State really of the people, by the people and for the people, which win the whole-hearted trust and support of the entire people. “Upholding the spirit and glorious tradition of the great August Revolution and continuing to study and carry out the testament of President Ho Chi Minh, and with solidarity and great efforts, our Party, people and armed forces are certain to overcome all difficulties and challenges to build a strong and prosperous country on a par with powers in all five continents, and to firmly safeguard our country’s independence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, so that our nation and our country enjoy prosperity and exist forever,” the President wrote in conclusion. Hungary’s National Day marked in Ho Chi Minh City The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-Hungary Friendship Association celebrated Hungary’s National Day in Ho Chi Minh City on August 20. President of Vietnam-Hungary Friendship Association in HCM City Le Minh Triet said Vietnam always remembers the valuable support by the Hungarian Government and people during the country’s struggles for national liberation and post-war reconstruction. On this occasion, Triet also expressed his pleasure to see a boost in the cooperation in economics, culture and education between the two countries. The two-way trade has grown remarkably, reaching around US$150 million last year. Hungary has now run 11 projects in Vietnam. The country grants 50 scholarships each year to Vietnamese students and postgraduates and continues to put Vietnam in its ODA priority list. At the ceremony, Hungarian Chargé d’Affraires Horvath Gellert expressed his delight at the bilateral relations which have further developed following visits made by the high-ranking delegations. The two-way trade turnover has increased by 30 percent over the past years, but has yet to meet each nation’s potential, he said, adding that to bolster the trade tie, the Hungarian National Trading House opened its representative office in Hanoi in June to promote the two countries’ businesses. President Sang attends death anniversary of national hero President Truong Tan Sang on August 20 attended a ceremony marking the 150th death anniversary of Truong Dinh, a national hero in the war against the French invasion, in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang. Truong Dinh was born in 1820 in Tinh Khe commune (Tu Cung commune at that time), Son Tinh district, central Quang Ngai province. Later, he and his father moved to Gia Thuan commune, Go Cong Dong district in Tien Giang When French colonialists attacked the Citadel of Gia Dinh, which was part of Ho Chi Minh City at present, he led the local militia force to join the army of the Nguyen Dynasty in the fight against the invaders and win many victories. In 1862, the royal court signed the Nham Tuat Treaty handing three southeastern provinces to France and ordered Truong Dinh to stop the fight and take up the post of military commander in nearby An Giang province. However, he disobeyed the order and continued to lead the armed movement against the French. He was much loved by the people who called him “Binh Tay Dai Nguyen Soai” (roughly translated as the anti-French General). On the night of August 19, 1864, the French launched a surprise attack on Truong Dinh’s base located in Tan Phuoc and Gia Thuan communes. As the enemy troops outnumbered his soldiers, Truong Dinh was seriously injured. He used his own sword to commit suicide to avoid falling into enemy hands at August 20’s dawn. Local people built a tomb and a temple dedicated to the hero at Go Cong town and another temple at Gia Thuan commune. The anniversary of his death is held annually at the two sites, drawing thousands of people across Vietnam. Cambodian NA leader wraps up Vietnam visit President of the Cambodian National Assembly (NA) Samdech Heng Samrin left Hanoi on August 20, successfully completing his three-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. During his stay, Heng Samrin held talks with the Vietnamese NA leader Nguyen Sinh Hung, paid courtesy visits to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, and met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. At talks, President of the Cambodian National Assembly Heng Samrin expressed his deep gratitude to Vietnamese Party, State and people for saving Cambodia from the genocidal regime, as well as in its national reconstruction. He also noted the great sacrifices of volunteer Vietnamese soldiers for freedom and independence of Cambodia. Leaders also noted that Vietnam always wishes to bolster the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and long-term comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia as its top priority. Both sides also spoke highly of the outcomes of cooperation between the two National Assemblies, hoped that their legislative tie would further strengthen in the time to come, contribute to deepening the Vietnam-Cambodia traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.- Committee comments on bill on legal document issuance The National Assembly Legal Committee held the 16th plenary session on August 20 to verify a bill on legal document issuance. Delegates agreed with the bill’s scope and suggested the drafting committee review regulations on the issuance of People’s Committees and People’s Councils legal documents at district level and of special administrative and economic units. They also advised the drafting committee to supplement regulations in Charter 11 on implementing legal documents because law enforcement is a task for all central and local State management agencies in different contexts. To improve the feasibility of legal documents, it is suggested that there should be mechanisms on evaluating and verifying resources to implement the documents. Delegates also commented on issuance authority, forms of legal documents, programmes on law and ordinance construction and responsibilities of agencies submitting draft laws and ordinances during the adjustment process. Beside the 2013 Constitution, the 2008 Law on Issuing Legal Documents and the 2004 Law on Issuing Legal Documents of People’s Committees and People’s Councils lay important legal basis for issuing legal documents to promptly realise the Party’s policies, contributing to speeding up legal document issuance to meet requirements in State management, socio-economic development and international economic integration. Delegates agreed with the necessity of building a Law on Issuing Legal Documents to address matters arising in constructing and issuing legal documents and improve the progress and quality of legal documents. The law also helps build an effective, open, transparent and synchronised legal system to meet requirements of national development and international economic integration in the future. Source: VNA/VOV/VNN