Government News In Brief 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. Slovenia, Vietnam foster economic ties Vietnam and Slovenia ties have been consolidated and developed constantly in recent years, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai at a meeting with Slovenia Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Pocicalsek in Hanoi on November 12. Vietnam desires to strengthen cooperation with Slovenia in garment, footwear, mechanics, automobiles, industrial machines, logistics and tourism, Hai asserted. He thanked Slovenia for its continuous support, especially during negotiations on the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EU (EVFTA), hoping that the FTA will facilitate bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Minister Pocicalsek in turn said the visiting Slovenia delegation comprises many businesses, who want to seek investment opportunities in the country. He revealed that through meetings with Vietnamese partners, both sides realise advantages and cooperative opportunities in heavy industry, logistics and maritime transport. Localities of Laos, Thailand, Vietnam to facilitate links The provinces of Quang Tri (Vietnam), Savannakhet (Laos) and Mukdahan (Thailand) have agreed to make joint efforts to boost cross-border tourism, trade and investment activities.  At a conference on cooperation in tourism, trade, investment and media in Dong Ha city, the central province of Quang Tri on November 12, the three sought to facilitate trade, tourism and investment links via reforming administrative procedures, minimising barriers, upgrading equipment, improving service quality and reducing fee structure.  Officials reviewed the “one-stop-shop” model being applied in the Lao Bao (Quang Tri)-Densavan (Savanakhet) international border gate for the future use at an international border gate between Mukdahan and Savannakhet, with a view to creating a uniform import-export and immigration processing system, especially on the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) that runs through the three countries.  Dr. Khampheui Phanthochone, Deputy Mayor of Savannakhet, said the annual conference helped spur the three localities’ economies and reinforce their solidarity.  Meanwhile, Yongyuth Singthawat, Deputy Mayor of Mukdahan, emphasised that all the three provinces lie on the EWEC with a lot of potential in tourism development.  Quang Tri has two border gates with Savannakhet, which are Lao Bao-Densavan and La Lay-Salavan.-VNA Foreign Ministry spokesman hails Vietnam’s election to UNESCO Vietnam’s election to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2015-2019 tenure with high votes demonstrates the country’s increasing status and prestige in the global arena as well as the international community’s recognition of her significant contributions to the UN agency.  Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh made the remarks at a regular press conference in Hanoi on November 12.  He noted that this is the fourth time Vietnam has won a seat at a UNESCO important management organ that is responsible for making policy and building short and mid-term plans.  Vietnam obtained 156 out of the 186 votes at the ongoing 38th session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris on November 12.  Earlier, the country served in the Executive Board for 1978-1983, 2001-2005, and 2009-2013.  The spokesman confirmed that Vietnam will proactively work with other member countries in the UNESCO’s policy-making to substantially contribute to the fields of education, natural sciences, educational sciences, culture and information-communication.-VNA Hungarian Speaker visits central Da Nang city Visiting Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Kover Laszlo on November 12 toured the central city of Da Nang as part of his official visit to Vietnam from November 8-13. While in Da Nang, the Speaker held a meeting with Secretary of the municipal Party’s Committee Nguyen Xuan An, who briefed his guest on the city’s socio-economic achievements over the past years, infrastructure development and incentives for foreign businesses. According to the official, Da Nang is taking the lead nationwide in the Provincial Competitive Index (PCI), the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Development Index and administrative reform. High-tech zones and centralised IT areas in the city have attracted a strong flurry of investment, he said. For his part, Kover Laszlo congratulated Da Nang on its successful organisation of the municipal Party Congress and informed his host about the outcomes of his meetings with Vietnamese Party and State leaders. On this occasion, the Speaker and his entourage visited the Museum of Cham Sculpture and Hoi An ancient town in Quang Nam province. The Hungarian delegation is scheduled to leave Da Nang on November 13 for Ho Chi Minh City. Earlier, the Speaker held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Sinh Hung and met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi. He also visited the northern province of Quang Ninh. Sympathies offered on former German leader’s decease Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has conveyed condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the decease of the European nation’s former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.  The Vietnamese leader also extended deepest sympathies to Schmidt’s family.  Helmut Schmidt, who served as West German Chancellor from 1974 to 1982, passed away at the age of 96 on November 10. Vietnam, Norway cooperate in vocational training, business development Vietnam is taking a number of measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Norway in vocational training and development of enterprises, according to the Vietnamese Embassy in Norway.  The efforts were reiterated at working sessions during a recent Norway visit by Secretary General of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Pham Thi Thu Hang.  Addressing their working session in Oslo on November 2, Hang and Director General of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) Kristin Skogen Lund highlighted collaboration between the VCCI and NHO in the past years on the basis of their agreement signed in 2004.  Cooperation between the two sides was part of a development cooperation framework funded by the Norwegian Government via the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Under the agreement, the VCCI and NHO have implemented projects on vocational training with the involvement of Vietnam’s businesses and vocational training institutions. They also focused on the development of the private sector, experience sharing on tripartite dialogue between employers, employees and government, and policies relating industrial development  Norway’s vocational training methods have been applied in four Vietnamese vocational training institutions, said Manager of the VCCI-NHO vocational training project Kurt Nilssen.  The targeted institutions have established consultancy councils involving representatives from local authorities, trainers, enterprises in a bid to improve vocational training quality and meet businesses’ demand on human resources, he said.  Vietnamese Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai highlighted potential for cooperation in vocational training and the development of enterprises between the two nations, emphasising Norway’s experiences in state-owned enterprise equitisation and private sector development. VNA/VOV