General Vinh heads for Vietnam-US defence policy dialogue President receives Russian envoy President Truong Tan Sang reiterated Viet Nam and Russia's flourishing development in economic and cultural co-operation while receiving Mikhail Shvydkoi, the Russian President's envoy for international cultural ties, in Ha Noi on Friday, Oct 25. Sang welcomed the visit of the envoy in preparation for the upcoming official visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He expressed his pleasure at the robust development in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and said the two sides had teamed up to promote cultural exchanges. The two sides needed to set up an annual plan to make their co-operation more practical, he said, adding that he agreed with the initiative to increase media co-operation between the two countries. He highlighted the effective co-operation between the Vietnam News Agency and Russia's ITAR-TASS in the past. Shvydkoi expressed his pleasure at returning to see Viet Nam's dynamic development. He said he believed that the Russian President's upcoming visit would help boost co-operation between the two countries. At the reception, representatives of Russian culture and media businesses and agencies expressed their wish to have more media co-operation opportunities between the two countries to promote additional publications, which would help boost the two peoples' mutual understanding and friendship. General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi held a working session with visiting Russian Presidential Envoy for International Cultural Co-operation Mikhail Shvydkoi, in Ha Noi on Friday. The VNA leader said the comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Russia had developed fruitfully in various realms, including co-operation in information and communications. He noted that the VNA and Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency worked together closely in the exchange of information and delegations and human resource development, meeting the demand for information in an ever-developing media landscape. Loi expressed his hope that Russian media agencies would continue to provide the VNA with information on Russia and the country's official viewpoints on international issues, as well as on the Vietnamese community in Russia. He asked for the envoy's assistance so that the VNA and ITAR-TASS will successfully organise a photo exhibition spotlighting the relationship between the two countries and broadly cover the upcoming official visit to Viet Nam by President Vladimir Putin. He added that the VNA also need Russia's help in training reporters and editors in the Russian language. In response, Shvydkoi stated that he believed President Putin's upcoming visit to Viet Nam would allow the bilateral relationship to be elevated to new heights. He spoke highly of the quality of the VNA's media coverage, saying he was delighted at the close co-operation between the two national news agencies, contributing to enhancing the traditional friendship between the two nations. He revealed that Russia wanted to set up a joint co-operation committee for press and stands ready to help Viet Nam train journalists working for Russian-language publications. During his stay in Viet Nam, the envoy also had working sessions with the Ministry of Information and Communications and Vietnam Television. Party delegation visits France A delegation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam led by Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee (CPV CC) To Huy Rua is visiting France from October 26-29 at the invitation of the Communist Party of France (CPF).   National Secretary Pierre Laurent and Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Huy Rua. (Source: VNA) The cooperation between the two parties has yielded many good outcomes in recent years, Rua, who is also head of the CPV CC Commission for Organisation, said at a meeting with CPF leadership led by National Secretary Pierre Laurent in Paris on Saturday. He informed the CPF leaders about Viet Nam's recent experience and Party building work. The CPF National Secretary extended sympathy to the Party, State and people of Viet Nam over the death of General Vo Nguyen Giap. He briefed the Vietnamese guests on the political and socio-economic situation in France and the CPF's recent activities, especially the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Paris Agreement on ending war and restoring peace in Viet Nam. Laurent assured his guest that the CPF would do its utmost to consolidate and strengthen the traditional friendship and effective cooperation with the CPV. Party official lauds Quang Binh’s post-storm clean-up Politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee Le Hong Anh has praised the central province of Quang Binh for its efforts to overcome the consequences of the recent tenth and eleventh storm. Speaking to the provincial Standing Committee in the locality on October 27, Anh said the ministries and agencies will suggest the Politburo and Government work out socio-economic development and climate change response plans exclusively designed for the central region and Quang Binh in particular. He said as rubber trees are hardest hit by the past typhoons, the Government will ask banks to extend debt repayment deadlines and add rubber sector to the list of priority credit recipients. The authorities at all levels should review the list of local poor households, especially those devastated by the storms, then provide them with more funding to settle their lives, he noted. According to him, the provincial People’s Committee should set up a board and devise a plan on sustainable economic development, especially for disaster-prone areas. At the working session, Government officials announced aid to Quang Binh, including 85 billion VND (4 million USD) for social welfare, 12 billion VND (0.5 million USD) for buying animal and plant varieties for farming, in addition to rice donations. Storms Wutip and Nari have left 19 dead and 229 injured in Quang Binh, destroyed 470 houses, damaged 116 boats, 12,000 hectares of rubber and 7,700 hectares of forests. The total losses were estimated at nearly 8,700 billion VND (414 million USD). General Vinh heads for Vietnam-US defence policy dialogue Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh is attending a Vietnam-US defence policy dialogue in the US and visit Canada from October 24 to November 3. His working trip is part of the Defence Ministry’s foreign relations programme for 2013 and at the invitations of Defence Secretaries of the US and Canada. Senior Party official on Czech visit Chairman of the Communist Party of the Czech Republic and Moravia (KSCM) Filip Vojtech has expressed desire to strengthen traditional friendship and cooperation with the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in the future. Meeting with CPV Politburo member and head of the CPV Central Committee’s Organisation Commission To Huy Rua in Prague on October 25, Vojtech briefed his guest on the projected outcomes of the Czech’s legislature election on October 25-26. The Vietnamese guest highly valued the cooperation between the two Parties in recent years. He wished the KSCM the best results at the election, thus affirming its strong position in the society and political arena. During the visit, Rua called at the Vietnamese embassy, met with the executive board of the Vietnamese Association in Czech, and attended the inauguration of the representative office of the Vietnam Bank for Investment and Development in the European country. PM welcomes foreign ambassadors Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received the new Azerbaijani and Spanish ambassadors in Ha Noi on Friday, assuring them that Viet Nam wants to further promote co-operation with their countries. At a reception for Azerbaijani Ambassador Anar Imanov, the Prime Minister emphasised that the two nations had seen the fine development of relations in all fields, proving the great potential that exists for continued and strengthened bilateral ties. Viet Nam wanted to deepen co-operation with Azerbaijan in economics, trade, investment and people-to-people exchange, he said. The Vietnamese Government would create favourable conditions for the ambassador to fulfill his task in Viet Nam, Dung assured. Welcoming Azerbaijan's opening of its embassy in Viet Nam, Dung said that Viet Nam is mulling over opening its own embassy in Azerbaijan soon. Imanov said his country attached special importance to its relationship with Viet Nam and pledged to do all he could to facilitate further growth in the relationship. Receiving Spanish Ambassador Alfonso Tena Garcia, Dung also declared that Viet Nam was committed to promoting its partnership with the European country for their mutual benefit. He suggested the two sides focus on expanding economic co-operation, enhancing two-way trade, while working together in infrastructure development, science-technology and tourism. He said the Government would create favourable conditions for Spanish businesses to do long-term business in the country. The Prime Minister asked Spain to maintain its provision of official development assistance to Viet Nam and increase student scholarships. Garcia commented that many Spanish companies wanted to find partners in Viet Nam, and affirmed he would closely work with relevant ministries and agencies to promote multifaceted co-operation between the two countries. VN celebrates 40 years of friendship with Argentina The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on Friday marked the 40th anniversary diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Argentina, which falls on October 25. The level of trade between Viet Nam and Argentina had continually increased from US$316 million in 2007 to over $1 billion in the first nine months of this year, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc said. The two countries would continue to develop friendship and co-operation, and support each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, he added while addressing the ceremony. On the occasion, many cultural activities will be held in Ha Noi and HCM City by the end of the year. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA