Government News In Brief Committee meets to forge Vietnam-Russia military technical ties The Vietnam-Russia Intergovernmental Committee for Military Technical Cooperation convened its 17th meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on November 13.  The function was co-chaired by Deputy Defence Minister Truong Quang Khanh – head of the Vietnamese sub-committee – and Director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation A.V. Fomin – head of the Russian sub-committee.  At the event, the two sides reviewed technical military cooperation since the 16th meeting in 2013, agreeing that it has been reinforced in various spheres, including military technique, in line with the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.  They agreed on issues prioritised for collaboration in order to meet their respective nations’ demands and interests, ultimately intensifying the time-honoured and sound affiliation between their armies and peoples.  The Russian delegation is on a working visit to Vietnam from November 12 to 15.- New ambassador vows to intensify friendship with Indonesia The new Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia pledged to do his utmost to further tighten the bilateral time-honoured friendship while presenting his credentials to Indonesian President Joko Widodo on November 13.  At a reception after the credentials presenting ceremony, Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan said he was honoured to assume the position at a time when the two countries’ strategic partnership is growing both intensively and extensively, and the ASEAN Community is to be formed by the end of this year.  He affirmed to help accelerate the implementation of the 2014-2018 strategic partnership action plan as well as fostering cooperation in economics, trade, investment, education, and culture between the nations.  Congratulating the newly-accredited ambassador, President Widodo wished that in his position, the diplomat will act as a bridge, positively contributing to consolidating and developing the bilateral friendship.  He also expressed his hope that the two countries will maintain collaboration in politics, economics, and socio-culture towards the common goal of ensuring peace and stability in the region and contributing to the growth of the ASEAN Community. Ho Chi Minh City to do best to boost ties with Hungary Ho Chi Minh City will do its best to intensify ties with Hungary and Budapest capital city in particular, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Le Thanh Hai assured visiting Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary Kover Laszlo during a reception on November 13.  Hai recalled the signing of a memorandum of understanding on establishing and strengthening cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Budapest in June 2013, which he said, charted the positive progress of bilateral ties.  He hoped that the NA Speaker will continue working to foster links between the two countries and cities.  Laszlo, for his part, suggested both sides learn from each other in legislative work.  He also announced the Hungarian government’s decision to grant scholarships to 100 Vietnamese students each year.  About 400 Vietnamese students are pursuing education in Hungary, he said, adding that he hopes the figure will increase.  The guest also suggested boosting partnerships across clean water supply, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals and tourism. Canada shares experience on policy development in law making Canadian experts shared their country’s experience in designing and analyzing policy as part of the lawmaking process at a workshop in Hanoi on November 12. Melissa Kim, a counsellor from the judicial policy development branch under the Ministry of the Attorney General in Canada’s Ontario state, said each policy should target a specific subject and address a concrete issue. Therefore, she said, it is necessary to clarify which subjects are to implement which tasks and how long it will take to complete the tasks during the policy development process. Nguyen Van Cuong, Vice Director of the Institute of Legal Science under the Ministry of Justice, said the accurate identification of the key issue in policy development is decisive to next steps in lawmaking. Participants at the event also stressed the need to have assessments from different aspects to decipher the root of a problem and seek suitable solutions. Learning from its own experience and lessons from foreign countries, Vietnam places importance on studying requirements and collecting information in its 2015 Law on Legal Document Issuance. The delegates also underlined the need to consider possible impacts of the policy and analyse risks in policy assessment. The mobilisation of resources, especially financial sources, and quality, devoted experts are crucial in policy development and research. This will help improve the quality of policymaking, they said. Ho Chi Minh City leader welcomes Japanese guest Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan received Tanaka Kazunori, Director-General of the International Bureau under the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, on November 13.  Welcoming the guest, who is in Vietnam to attend the third Japan Festival, Quan said the relationship between Vietnam and Japan has risen to a new height and developed in numerous fields.  He appreciated the organisation of the Japan Festival since 2013, affirming that it offers a good chance for Vietnamese people to experience aspects of Japanese culture and helps boost cooperation in culture, economics and education between the two sides.  As an attractive destination for Japanese investors, Ho Chi Minh City has reserved a 100-hectare land lot for Japanese enterprises, Quan said, wishing that with his role, Tanaka Kazunori would continue encouraging Japanese enterprises to seek investment and cooperation opportunities in Vietnam – and Ho Chi Minh City in particular.  The guest, in turn, showed his hope that the two countries will intensify collaboration in the fields of politics and economics, as well as enhance relations between their parliaments, political parties and localities.  Currently, not only major corporations and companies, but also small- and medium-sized enterprises in Japan are eyeing investment opportunities in Vietnam, he added. President greets ambassadors of Laos, Ghana, Macedonia President Truong Tan Sang welcomed newly-accredited ambassadors from Laos, the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Macedonia who presented their credentials to the Vietnamese State leader in Hanoi on November 13. Receiving Lao Ambassador Phonsavan Phomvihane, the President expressed his delight at continuous developments in the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity as well as socio-economic achievements the neighbouring country has recorded over the past time. He congratulated Laos on assuming the ASEAN Chair in 2016 and wished its 10 th National Party Congress in early 2016 a success. President Sang suggested the two countries review their past cooperation and chart another collaboration plan for the next five years, bringing practical benefits to both sides. Ambassador Phonsavan Phomvihane affirmed the Party, State and people of Laos always treasure Vietnam’s great support for the country during the development process. The diplomat voiced his hope for more assistance from Vietnam, especially when the two countries are preparing for their Party Congresses and meetings between the two Political Bureaus and Governments in 2016 – the year Laos plays the role of ASEAN Chair. He pledged to do his utmost to fulfill his tasks, contributing to preserving and enhancing the comprehensive cooperation, friendship and special solidarity between the two countries. At a meeting with Ghana Ambassador Benjamin Clement Eghan, President Sang assured that Vietnam attaches importance to expanding cooperation with Africa, including Ghana. He thanked Ghana for supporting Vietnam to become a member of the UN Economic and Social Council and run for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council. Hailing recent developments in economic ties between Vietnam and Ghana, the President proposed the two countries further their collaboration in other spheres like telecommunications and agriculture. The Ghana ambassador said Vietnam is known as a dynamic nation in ASEAN that has completed many UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), noting that Ghana is keen to exchange experience with the country in implementing the MDGs and Sustainable Development Goals. The diplomat suggested the two countries increase people-to-people exchange and encourage their businesses to seek cooperation opportunities. He called on Vietnam to join Ghana’s initiative for the South-South Cooperation Exchange Mechanism, an initiative aimed at strengthening exchange and collaboration between developing countries in the fields of environment and sustainable development. According to the Ambassador, Ghana will establish an honorary consul mechanism in Vietnam in the near future to facilitate the travel and information sharing between the two countries’ businesses. Located in Western Africa, Ghana is a member of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, the Commonwealth and the Economic Community of West African States and an associate member of the International Francophone Organisation. Ghana is also the world’s second largest cacao producer. Welcoming Macedonia Ambassador Ilija Isajlovski, President Sang said the increased exchange of high-ranking delegations is important to promoting multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries. He urged the two countries’ relevant agencies to actively prepare for the upcoming visit to Vietnam by the Macedonia President, saying the trip is expected to usher in a new chapter for bilateral relations. The host suggested both sides review and supplement documents to create a legal framework that facilitates the operation of their enterprises. Ambassador Ilija Isajlovski said Vietnam and Macedonia set up political and diplomatic consultation mechanisms which work as the foundation for them to foster bilateral cooperation, especially in politics and foreign economy. He proposed opening representative mechanisms of the chamber of commerce and industry in the respective countries to promote economic, trade and investment links. Macedonia has granted scholarships to Vietnamese students to bring the two countries closer in the future, he said.- Vietnamese, Cuban procuracy bodies exchange experience The Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam and the Cuban Supreme People’s Procuracy Office and organised a three-day seminar on protecting citizens’ legal rights and interests.  Their discussion revolved around the subjects of children and adolescents and their rights, as well as both sides’ operations related to execution of criminal sentences.  They focused on exchanging practical experience in a bid to improve each procuracy body.  The seminar gathered a Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Procurator General Tran Cong Phan, its Cuban counterpart headed by Deputy Director of the Cuban Supreme People’s Procuracy Office Marlen Fernandez Machado, and Cuban experts and officials.  The event took place in Havana from November 10 to 12. President praises achievements in judicial reform President Truong Tan Sang has affirmed that judicial activities in recent years have made considerable achievements and have contributed to raising awareness of officers and Party members in the role of judicial reform in building a socialist state ruled by law. The State leader made the remark while chairing the 24th session of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform in Hanoi on November 13. He spoke highly of the committee’s outcomes in institutionalising guidelines and tasks of judicial reform, as well as in reforming and boosting communication activities on the work. At the session, the committee-members discussed a report on implementing the committee’s operations in the 2011-2016 period and scheduling its tasks for the 2016-2020 period. They agreed that the report had rightly evaluated the committee’s implementation of judicial reform tasks set in the Party documents, as well as in action plans and programes of the Central Steering Committee. The committee and centrally-run Party organisations have been active in guiding, inspecting and speeding up the realisation of judicial reform tasks, perfecting the legal system, enhancing human resource training, boosting international co-operation, and increasing Party’s leadership and supervision activities of people-elected agencies. In the 2016-2020 period, the committee will focus their operations on institutionalising Politburo Resolution 49-NQ/TW on judicial reform by 2020, and bringing to life regulations of the 2014 Law on the Organisation of People's Courts, the 2014 Law on the Organisation of the People's Procuracy, the 2014 Law on Civil Judgment Enforcement, and National Assembly-approved laws in 2015. VNA/ND/VNS