Government News 4/5 President to attend Russia’s Victory anniversary President Truong Tan Sang will attend celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Russia from May 7-10 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He then will pay a State visit to the Czech Republic from May 10-13 as guest of Czech President Milos Zeman. Later, President Truong Tan Sang will travel to Azerbaijan for an official visit from May 13-15 at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.- Ambassador presents credentials to EC President Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and head of the Vietnamese delegation to the European Union (EU) Vuong Thua Phong has presented his credentials to President of the European Council (EC) Donald Tusk. Phong expressed appreciation for the EU’s role as the second largest trade partner and the biggest export market of Vietnam. The EU is also Vietnam’s leading development and investment partner as well as the biggest supplier of development assistance and non-refundable aid, he said. Tusk expressed his content with the progress of all-around cooperation between Vietnam and the EU. He said the EU always values the effective promotion of bilateral and multilateral coordination with Vietnam, especially within the framework of the EU – ASEAN, the Asia-Europe Meeting and international forums. The host said he believes both sides will soon conclude negotiations and sign the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Argentine press writes about April 30 victory Website Dossiercultural of Argentina on May 1 published a story marking Vietnam’s 40th anniversary of liberation of the south and national reunification. The April 30 victory was of international significance and encouraged the world revolutionary movement against imperialism for independence and sovereignty, the article wrote. In the resistance war against the US, the Vietnamese people were not alone and they always received support from the world public, including the Argentinian government and people. The article recalled that Argentina was one of the first nations to recognise Vietnam shortly after the signing of the Paris Agreement in 1973. Many political organisations actively participated in the movement supporting Vietnam, including the Argentinian Communist Party, who sent a delegation to the North Vietnam to witness consequences of the war. The same day the Latin America Summary ran a report on the ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the anniversary. It also carried an article by a former Prensa Latina reporter, Martin Hacthoun, on his trip to the Cu Chi tunnel, 40km from Ho Chi Minh City, which was a base for revolutionary soldiers during the resistance war. Vietnam’s April 30, 1975 victory remembered in Italy The solidarity between the peoples of Italy and Vietnam was highlighted at a recent seminar held in Italy’s Genoa port city on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the National Reunification of Vietnam. Participants, who included representatives of local workers, recalled memories of the movement in support of Vietnam’s resistance war, such as the story of captain Luciano Sossai, who steered the ship Australe to carry medicines and staples from Genoa port to Vietnam in 1973, or the strikes of Genoa workers against US ships during the war. President of the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Association in the Liguria region Mauro Cotogno hailed the significance of the April 30, 1975 event, which put an end to the war in Vietnam and reunified the country. The event is the victory of not only Vietnam people but also workers in Genoa and Italy at large, he said, adding that they will stand side by side with Vietnam during its nation-building and safeguarding cause. The victory 40 years ago was also the focus of a talk in Milan city, held by the Italy-Vietnam Friendship Association. Speaking at the two events, Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Hoang Long expressed his gratitude for the support of generations of Italian workers and communists for Vietnam’s struggle for liberation in the past and its nation-building and safeguarding cause at present. The ambassador on April 30 granted an interview to Radio RAI 1 on the war consequences in Vietnam, the country’s current situation and its relations with the US over the past 40 years. HCM City leader greets Cuban official Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee Vo Van Thuong received Head of the External Relations Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Jose Ramon Balaguer Cabrera, in the city on May 1. The guest was in Vietnam to attend the ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975). He expressed his honour to attend the grand ceremony the mark such an important event, which, he said has significant impact on the world. He also extolled the sound friendship between the two Parties, States and peoples, saying he believes the bilateral ties will be strengthened in all realms from politics and foreign affairs to economics. The host said the victory is greatly contributed by countries around the world, including Cuba . Vietnam will never forget the valuable assistance of Cuban people, he said, adding that the faithful and special relations between the two countries will never change with time. Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City in particular always support Cuba in the cause of national construction and defence, he said. He took this opportunity to extend his best regards to Cuban leader Fidel Castro and President Raul Castro. Reunification Day celebrated in Venezuela and Mozambique The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela on April 30 laid a wreath of flowers in homage to late President Ho Chi Minh in the capital city of Caracas to mark the 40th anniversary of the liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification. The Embassy, in collaboration with the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry and the Vietnam-Venezuela Friendship Association, also held a workshop themed “The Vietnamese people’s war and the failure of American imperialism”. Addressing the event, Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Xoan Noya hailed the great historical significance of the 1975 victory, both to Vietnam and the world. For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Ngo Tien Dung recalled the historical victory 40 years ago, highlighting the support of international friends to the Vietnamese people in the struggle, including those from Venezuela. Also on the occasion, the Ambassador presented Spanish-language books written by late President Ho Chi Minh and late General Vo Nguyen Giap to Venezuelan partners. On April 29, Vietnamese expatriates in Mozambique gathered at a ceremony hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in the capital city of Maputo to celebrate the 40th anniversary of National Reunification. The Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Nguyen Van Trung affirmed that the triumph has allowed the united Vietnam to create opportunities for peace and development. Participating Overseas Vietnamese said they will continue their endeavours to tighten the relations between their host country and their homeland. During the event, a photo exhibition on Vietnam’s landscapes and people also took place. HCM City official receives Lao Vice President Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Le Thanh Hai, on April 30 met with Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith, who was in the city to attend the celebration of 40 years since Southern Vietnam’s liberation and national reunification. The local official thanked the Lao delegation for attending the commemoration, adding that the Vietnamese people always remember the special relationship between the two countries. HCM City will continue educating the young generation about the nations’ traditional friendship, and it hopes that bilateral ties will be intensified in the future, he said. Bounnhang Vorachith, who is also a Lao Politburo member and Standing member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Secretariat, considered Vietnam’s successful organisation of the celebration as a good example that Laos will hope to follow when observing its own 40th National Day in December. He appreciated HCM City’s assistance to his country in personnel training and the development of the capital, Vientiane, and Champasak province. Laos will also step up teaching about the countries’ special relations to its youth, he said and wished the Vietnamese southern city vigorous growth in the time ahead. Also on April 30, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, Le Hoang Quan, received Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An, who also participated in the commemorations. President congratulates Vietnamese navy on 60th anniversary The Vietnam People’s Navy is the core service in safeguarding sea and island sovereignty while maintaining long-term regional peace and cooperation, said State President Truong Tan Sang. He was delivering a remark at a ceremony celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Vietnamese navy in the central province of Khanh Hoa on May 2. On August 2 and 5, 1964, Vietnamese naval soldiers and their vessels, in coordination with other forces, drove the US destroyer USS Maddox and aircraft out of Vietnam’s territorial waters in the Tonkin Gulf, marking the first victory for the northern army in the resistance war against the US aggressors, Deputy Defence Minister Admiral Nguyen Van Hien recalled at the event. During the 1975 Spring General Offensive, the force together with other units liberated several islands on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, contributing to the full liberation of the nation. It later fulfilled the task of helping Cambodians escape from genocidal regime. In his speech, President Sang called on the navy to build itself into a revolutionary, modern and capable force and extend external relations with navies from all over the world. The navy must show more initiative in overseeing developments at sea and advise the Party and State on strategic policies to promptly deal with any incident, he urged. At his behest, it should continue raising public awareness of sea and island sovereignty, improve the management of self-defence forces and natural resources at sea, and offer assistance to fishermen in their trade or search-and-rescue. On Party building mission, the force was required to keep building a healthy and strong Party Committee as part of preparations towards the 10th Party Congress of the Army and the 12th National Party Congress. On the occasion, the State leader pinned the insignia of “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” onto the flag of the navy. VNA