Government News 1/1 Cooperation with ASEAN reviewed The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a meeting on December 30 to review the country's cooperation with ASEAN in 2014 and set out its tasks for 2015. In 2014, Viet Nam participated proactively in all activities of ASEAN, said the ministry, which works as the National Coordinating Agency for ASEAN Cooperation. The bloc continued efforts in realizing the roadmap of building an ASEAN Community by 2015 and achieved important results; enhanced internal solidarity and consensus; boosted relations with dialogue partners and promoted its key role in regional forums; and promoted its central role in the forming regional structure, particularly coping with arising challenges in the region. To prepare for the next ten years, ASEAN launched the construction of the ASEAN Community’s post 2015 Vision to seek ways and measures to boost the bloc’s connectivity, improve its adaptability, role and position to face complicated and unpredictable developments of the regional and international situation. Viet Nam contributed to ASEAN cooperation and promoting solidarity, consensus and the central role of the bloc in addressing major challenges in the region, especially in the East Sea. The meeting highlighted the importance of 2015 to bring the bloc to a new phase in establishing the community and building its post 2015 vision when regional and international situation is posing challenges for the bloc’s solidarity, consensus and central role in the region. In 2015, Viet Nam will focus on fostering the establishment of the ASEAN Community,participate in mapping out the post 2015 Vision of the ASEAN Community and Master Plans to implement the Vision. Viet Nam will continue to promote solidarity, consensus and the central role of ASEAN in maintaining peace, stability, security and cooperation in the region. The country will also make contributions to boosting the bloc’s external relations, continuing fulfilling the country’s coordinating role in the ASEAN-EU dialogue relationship and preparing for its coordinating role in the ASEAN-India dialogue relationship. In addition, coordination among relevant agencies of Viet Nam will be enhanced to get ready for the community’s establishment and development. PM Dung checks premier transportation projects in Hanoi Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on December 31 visited work sites of Nhat Tan bridge, Nhat Tan-Noi Bai International Airport route, Noi Bai International Airport’s T2 Terminal and check planning and construction along the route. PM Dung stressed the importance of the country’s largest and most modern projects, which have been implemented in accordance with the Party’s direction on breakthroughs in building socio-economic infrastructure. He praised efforts of the Ministry of Transportation (MOT), Hanoi and relevant agencies in completing the projects on schedule with required quality to be ready to put into operation. The Government leader asked the MOT to fulfill audit and financial procedures after the projects are completed, continue completing sub-projects to ensure the projects’ effectiveness and hand over Nhat Tan bridge and the Nhat Tan-Noi Bai route to Hanoi as planned. He required the ministry and the capital to prepare human resources to operate the facilities effectively, particularly the T2 terminal, which will make impression on visitors when entering the country. The aviation development not only brings profits to the sector, but also boosts other fields, particularly tourism and services, thus further attention should be paid to ensuring aviation security and safety to promote the aviation development, PM Dung said. On behalf of Hanoi authority and people, Secretary of the Hanoi municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi expressed his gratitude to the Party and State to the capital and promised to operate the handed over facilities effectively. Nhat Tan bridge, Nhat Tan-Noi Bai route and the T2 Terminal are key national projects funded by the Japanese Government’s official development assistance and the Vietnamese Government’s counterpart capital. They have been completed on schedule and ready for the launching on January 4, 2015. The facilities are significant to improving the capital’s transportation and contributing to socio-economic development of Hanoi, surrounding regions and the country. Nhat Tan bridge is one of three bridges with the largest number of suspension spans in the world, built by Japan’s advanced technologies and symbolised the Vietnam-Japan friendship. The Nhat Tan-Noi Bai International Airport route is designed in a modern style with detailed plans. The T2 Terminal, when put into operation, will be the country’s most modern terminal on a 139,300 square metres with four floors. The terminal can serve approximately 10 million passengers per year, easing the overloads at T1 Terminal and ensuring transportation at the present and in the future. Press urged to bring Party and State documents to public Politburo member Le Hong Anh has urged press agencies to focus on bringing Party and State documents to the public while reflecting their opinions on Party draft documents in preparation for the upcoming 12th National Party Congress. Politburo member Anh, who is also permanent member of the Party Central Committee (PCC) Secretariat, stated the requirement at a national press conference held in Hanoi on December 31 to review its operation in 2014 and set orientations for 2015. While speaking highly of significant contributions of the press over the past years, he stressed that the press should encourage emulation movements and resolutely fight against false information and allegations by hostile forces to sabotage our Party and State. Press agencies are requested to be a consultant to the Party and State to complete regulations in this field, particularly those relating to management of websites, internet services and means of mass media, and contribute ideas to the revision of the Press Law. It is also important to increase training for officers, editors and reporters to raise their political virtue, professional qualification and morality, he added. Touching upon the task of speeding up external information, he said that press agencies should actively and closely co-ordinate with Party committees and embassies to advertise the culture, land and people of Vietnam to international friends while promptly providing Vietnamese communities with updates on their motherland’s situation. He asked the press to beef up reporting news on the country’s sea and islands, land border demarcation and marker planting, and increasing awareness of people in border provinces in order to build a friendly and peaceful borderline with neighbouring countries. The conference, held jointly by the PCC Commission for Communication and Education (CCE), the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), and the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA), were also attended by Politburo member and CCE Head Dinh The Huynh; PCC member and MIC Minister Nguyen Bac Son; and PCC member and VJA Chairman Thuan Huu. According to a report read by Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan, most of press agencies have fulfilled their role as the voices of Party organisations, State agencies, social and political organisations, and an open forum for the public. The press has provided people with quick, full and comprehensive information on domestic and international news. Many outstanding faces in the national construction and development have been discovered and honoured while many corruption and wastefulness cases have been disclosed thanks to efforts made by press agencies. The press has also been active and positive in reaffirming the national sovereignty over its sea and islands. Judicial Reform Steering Committee convenes 17th meeting The Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform (CSCJR) held its 17th meeting in Hanoi on December 31 to collect opinions for a draft report reviewing the implementing of judicial reform in 2014 and discussing key tasks in judicial reform work in 2015. The draft report showed the serious, democratic and responsible implementation at all levels, improvements in the awareness and actions of most Party members, people from all walks of life in boosting judicial reforms. The judicial reform strategy has been put forth actively by Party organisations from the grassroots to central levels. The awareness of officials, Party members and people of the position and role of judicial offices, rights and activities has been increased significantly. At the meeting, CSCJR members also discussed key tasks in judicial reform work in 2015, including completing projects, amending and supplementing a number of laws or penal code and civil code. Speaking at the meeting, President Sang praised deployment results in implementing Conclusion No. 92 by the Government Party Committee (GPC), saying that the GPC in a short period of time has conducted a large amount of work on various aspects of judicial reforms, particularly institutionalisation, law construction, and the approval of a large number of projects related to judicial reforms. The Party committees under the GPC has continually enhanced and improved the quality and effectiveness of criminal prevention, law enforcement and propagation and training of judicial officers, as well as further strengthening of international co-operation in the fields. Deputy PM urges measures to reduce land-related complaints Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai has asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) to work out effective measures to reduce the number of complaints related to land. The Deputy PM made the request at a meeting on December 31 reviewing the performance of MONRE in 2014. Hai said he evaluated highly the efforts by MONRE in the past to in strengthen State management of natural resources and environment, notably the formulation and promulgation of documents guiding the implementation of the 2013 Land Law. He also praised MONRE for its effort to tackle the unplanned exploitation of natural minerals. The Deputy PM said MONRE and local authorities should find more appropriate and effective solutions to addressing land seizure, site clearance, compensation and resettlement in order to minimise land disputes. Hai also called for the ministry to develop projects and programmes to mitigate the impact of climate change in the Mekong River Delta. Leaders send greetings to Cuba on National Day Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Truong Tan Sang, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent greetings to Raul Castro Ruz, first Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers on the 56th anniversary of Cuba’s National Day (January 1). On the occasion, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung also sent a message of good wishes to his Cuban counterpart Esteban Lazo. A congratulatory message was cabled to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla by his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh. Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic ties on December 2, 1960. NA Chairman extols close ties with Denmark National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung hailed the ties of the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark at a December 30 reception for Danish Ambassador John Nielsen in Hanoi. “Vietnamese people always bear in mind and are grateful to Denmark for its valuable support in recent years. Denmark’s huge and continuous ODA for Vietnam has been used effectively, greatly contributing to the country’s socio- economic development, improving the quality of labour and promoting regional and international integration.” Hung told his guest. Regarding parliamentary cooperation, the top legislator expressed his delight at the bourgeoning ties between the two nations as well as closer cooperation in sharing legislative and executive experience. Hung spoke glowingly of Ambassador John Nielsen’s contributions to fostering the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries over the past years. The Dannish diplomat said he is impressed by Vietnam’s tremendous economic development in recent times, notably drastic changes in the Vietnamese legislature and investment policy through revised laws. John Nielsen said his nation would continue to provide ODA for Vietnam and assist the Southeast Asian nation in climate change adaptation, culture and education. Congratulations on 50th anniversary of Palestinian Revolution State President Truong Tan Sang on December 31 extended his congratulations to Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation, on the 50th anniversary of the Palestinian Revolution (January 1).- Source: VNA/VOV/ND/VNN