Government News 6/3 Vietnam condemns terrorism: FM Vietnam formally condemns any forms of terrorism and considers individuals or organisations involved in terrorist activities fully responsible for their actions, said Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang. She made the statement at a regular press conference in Hanoi on March 5. When asked about the Vietnamese national extradited from the UK to the US to face trial for supporting terrorism, Hang said Vietnam is re-examining the relevant information in this case. NA Judicial Committee examines amendments to civil procedure code The Judicial Committee of the National Assembly opened a meeting on March 5 to examine amendments to the Civil Procedure Code before it is brought to discussion at the upcoming plenary session of the legislative body. Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Chief of the Supreme People’s Court Tong Anh Hoa emphasised the need to modify the Civil Procedure Code following the adoption of the 2013 Constitution and updates to the Law on the Organisation of People’s Courts. The Judicial Committee determined that renewing court proceedings and enhancing the quality of court arguments are key factors to ensuring that parties can collect evidence and protect their legitimate rights and interests. Some members noted that the new code should adopt the advantages of the adversarial system in accordance with the specific conditions of Vietnam. They stated that the adversarial rule in a trial must be guaranteed as a breakthrough in court proceedings and that the system should be applied from when the court begins handling a lawsuit until it is settled. This system is designed to allow parties in a trial to present their evidence freely to defend their position, which requires each party to be informed of the other’s documents, materials and evidence. All decisions of the court must be based on evidence brought to open discussion during the trial. The Committee members agreed that these issues should be instituted in a detailed manner in the amended Civil Procedure Code. Defence delegation works with UN Mission in Central Africa A defence delegation led by Lieutenant General and Deputy Chief of the General Political Department Nguyen Trong Nghia who is also Deputy Head of the Defence Ministry’s steering committee for the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations paid a working visit to the UN Mission in the Central African Republic. During the trip, the delegation visited some peacekeeping units of other nations in central Africa and conducted a field survey aiming to accelerate the deployment of Vietnamese forces involved in UN peacekeeping operations. German Parliamentary State Secretary to visit HCM City Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Hans-Joachim Fuchtel is slated to be on a four-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City from March 8-11 , the German Consulate General announced on March 4. Parliamentary State Secretary Fuchtel will attend the opening of a conference held by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and visit a vocational school for underprivileged youths during his trip. The secretary will also have working sessions on such issues as developing the private economic sector and building frame conditions for the country’s economic development at a time when Vietnam is employing its green growth strategy, the German Consulate General said. Fuchtel will meet local media during his visit to the Anre Maisen vocational school, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The German official is also scheduled to plant a tree at the school to mark his visit. Anre Maisen is part of a Germany-funded development project to combat poverty in Vietnam through opening vocational schools for poor young people across the country. The underprivileged youths are trained in hospitality so that they will have a job and be able to improve their living standards. With equipment and facility support from the German side, the school was officially opened in September last year with the first 37 young students. Two training programs will be in place in the next two years to send the number of students to 100. Numerous activities to mark Vietnam’s ties with China, US A number of activities will be held throughout 2015 to mark the anniversaries of Vietnam’s diplomatic ties with China and the US, said Deputy Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Pham Thu Hang during a regular press conference of the ministry on March 5. The Deputy Spokesperson said Vietnam and China are celebrating the 65 th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship in 2015. They will organise various activities, including all-level visits and particularly those by the two countries’ senior leaders, she added. Hang continued to say that Vietnam and the US are marking 20 years since the establishment of their diplomatic ties this year. They also plan to work together to hold an array of activities to celebrate this event including all-level delegation exchanges, she noted. Vietnamese, Lao embassies gather in Beijing The Vietnamese and Lao embassies in China held a gathering in Beijing on March 5 to tighten the time-honoured friendship between the two countries. Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Tho and Lao Ambassador Somdy Bounkhoum highlighted the two nations’ special relationship, established by the late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane and nurtured by generations of leaders. The diplomats briefed one another on their respective socio-economic development and expressed their confidence in the bright prospects of the Vietnam-Laos relationship in 2015. Participants enjoyed special art performances and feasted on traditional Vietnamese and Lao cuisine. The exchange event wrapped up with a pyrotechnic display.- Politburo member pays working visit to Ca Mau Politburo member Le Hong Anh examined socio-economic development and Party building in 2014 and preparations for all-level Party congresses for 2015-2020 in the southernmost province of Ca Mau during his working visit to the locality on March 5. Le Hong Anh, who is also standing member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee, recognised Ca Mau’s socio-economic achievements, which included an export value of over 1.3 billion USD, and changes in Party building and political system reinforcement. He was reported that preparations in documents and personnel for all-level Party congresses have been accomplished with the first seven grassroots congresses to be held in March and the last in this June. The Party official reminded the provincial Party Committee of enhancing Party building efforts while asking for local mass organisations’ stronger involvement in consolidating unity and building new style rural areas. Le Hong Anh demanded Ca Mau to have better management over budget collection and expenditure and implement solutions to reducing poverty incidents and dealing with environment pollution in a sustainable manner. He stressed the need for the locality to build communal roads, safeguard political stability and social order, efficiently ensure social welfare, push up administrative reforms, stamp out corruption, and put an end to prolonged petition cases.- Russia, Vietnam forge parliamentary cooperation Vietnam Ambassador to Russia and Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Andrei Klimov discussed specific measures to further augment relations between the two legislative bodies in the context that Russia is facing challenges presented by the economic crisis and the embargo imposed by numerous nations. At their meeting on March 4, both sides also compared notes on issues of shared concern and celebrations for major events relating to bilateral ties in 2015. For his part, the Russian official highlighted new prospects for stronger bilateral ties, adding that he is looking forward to the Vietnam visit by the United Russia Party Chairman and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev which will help bilateral ties grow and flourish in the time to come. Klimov also praised Vietnam’s efforts to prepare for the 132nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) to be hosted by Vietnam for the first time and affirmed his nation’s willingness to assist Vietnam in organizing the event. Leaders confirm Vietnam’s commitment to bolster ties with Laos Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Truong Tan Sang, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung confirmed that Vietnam will do its utmost to deepen the bilateral relationship with Laos across sectors. The Vietnamese leaders made the remarks at separate meetings with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, who is also Head of the Commission for External Relations of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, in Hanoi on March 5. The leaders hailed the outcomes of talks between the two Parties’ commissions for external relations and their increasingly effective coordination which actively contributes to the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity and relationship. They expressed their wish that the two commissions will work closely with ministries, sectors and localities to successfully implement resolutions from the respective national Party Congresses as well as agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries. The trio also extended congratulations to the Lao Party, State, and people on the occasion of the 60 th founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), saying they believe the Lao Party congresses and the 10th national Party Congress will be a success under the leadership of the LPRP. They briefed the guest on Vietnam’s preparations for all-level Party congresses and the 12th national Party Congress, and expressed their delight at the growing ties between the two countries contributing to their development and prosperity as well as peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. In turn, the Lao leader thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their valuable assistance in the past and present. He confirmed that Laos likewise looks to nurture the two nations’ traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.- Death of Commander Hugo Chavez commemorated in Hanoi The Venezuelan Embassy in Hanoi held a ceremony on March 5 to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of late President Hugo Chavez and introduce his “Blue Book”. At the event, Venezuelan Ambassador Jorge Rondon Uzcategui recalled the late leader’s significant contributions to the liberation and development of the Latin American country. He also highlighted Chavez’s love for and attention to children, the elderly and the disadvantaged. Chairman of the Vietnam-Venezuela Friendship Association Nguyen Viet Thao spoke highly of efforts made by Venezuelan leaders to continue upholding the missions and ideas of the late President. The “Blue Book: The Tree with Three Roots” encompasses Chavez’s ideas on Government projects and socio-economic structures. President Hugo Chavez Rias died of cancer on March 5, 2013 at the age of 58. He is considered as a revolutionary icon of Latin America and founded the revolutionary movement People’s Liberation Army of Venezuela in 1977. Chavez dedicated 36 years of his life to revolutionary activities, including 15 years as the President of Venezuela and opening a new chapter for the Latin American country.- PM asks for focus on rural area development The Prime Minister has set tasks for the Central Committee for the National New Style Rural Area Building Programme to achieve 20 percent of the total communes nationwide (or 1,800) recognised as modern rural areas in 2015. Key tasks include developing infrastructure facilities serving the essential demands of local residents; promoting production in close collaboration with restructuring the economy to raise incomes for rural labourers; enhancing rural living conditions, social order and security; and strengthening capacity for supervising programme implementation. The Committee has been urged to identify specific objectives for 2016-2020, ensure their relevancy to local conditions, and allocate appropriate resources to achieve them. Additionally, the Committee will focus on restructuring agriculture, improving the rural environment, and strengthening education and health care services, among others. In 2014, as many as 785 communes nationwide, or 8.8 percent, fulfilled all 19 criteria of the programme; 1,285 communes reached between 15 and 18 of the criteria. The nation’s communes have satisfied an average of 10 criteria, double the 2010 average. Building infrastructure, improving production capacity, constructing public works, protecting landscapes and the environment, and promoting local traditions and cultural identities are among the criteria of new-style rural areas under the programme initiated by the Government in 2010.- Vietnam, Russia seek further development ties Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Nguyen Thanh Son received Andrey Klimov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the Council of Russian Federation and Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the United Russia Party, on March 4 in Moscow to discuss future cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, they discussed the relationship between the two ruling parties in line with ways to strengthen their coordination at international forums. Klimov affirmed Russia considers Vietnam a top strategic partner in the Asia Pacific region, adding that both Russian and United Russian Party leaders were eager to strengthen ties with Vietnam’s Party and Government. He pledged to boost cooperation with Vietnam’s National Assembly and work closely with the country to successfully organise the quickly-approaching ­132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) in March in Hanoi. For his part, Ambassador Son briefed his partner on plans to enhance bilateral relations and produce more effective and practical outcomes. He also hailed Klimov’s role in the development of the ties. Hopefully, the upcoming trip for United Russian Party President Dmitry Medvedev to Vietnam will facilitate further connections between the two nations, Klimov told reporters after the meeting.- Deputy PM Minh receives new Dutch Ambassador Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received new Ambassador of the Netherlands Catharina Trooster in Hanoi on March 5. The Vietnamese host said the two countries’ relations have seen progress forwards in various fields, citing the establishment of the strategic partnership in climate change resilience and water management in October 2010 and in agriculture and food security in June 2014. Vietnam and the Netherlands have actively promoted their cooperation in such important realms as energy, shipbuilding, training, trade, and investment. They have also been working closely at a number of multilateral forums and international organisations, Minh noted. He voiced his hope that the new Ambassador will closely coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and sectors to strongly implement bilateral collaboration and enhance the Southeast Asian country’s relations with the European Union. For her part, Catharina Trooster said she is glad to assume the mission at a time when bilateral ties are flourishing and Vietnam is attaining successes in its industrialisation and modernisation. She affirmed that she will exert maximal efforts to intensify the two countries’ cooperation and the friendship between the two peoples. VNA/Nhan Dan/VOV