Preparation for a Congress of Protestant General Confederation



Oct. 21 (VNA) -- At a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on Oct. 21 the Government Board for Religious Affairs released a communique on the establishment of a mobilization board in preparation for a congress of the Protestant General Confederation of the Viet Nam Protestant Church in the south.

Present at the ceremony were Le Quang Vinh, Director of

Vietnam attaches importance to Asia-Europe cooperation


Oct. 23 (VNA) -- Viet Nam attaches importance to Asia-Europe cooperation, in line with its external policies of independence, sovereignty, diversification, multilateralization and world integration.

So said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam in an interview with the national daily Nhan Dan on Oct. 23 on the outcome of the third Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM III) in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, from Oct. 19-21, which he attended as head of the Vietnamese delegation.

The Vietnamese Women's Union Founding day



Ha Noi, Oct. 19 (VNA) -- The Vietnamese Women's Union (VWU) held in Ha Noi today, Oct. 19, a meeting to mark its 70th founding anniversary (Oct. 20) and to receive the State's Independence Order, first class.

Prominent among participants were Nguyen Thi Binh, Vice State President; Nong Duc Manh, National Assembly Chairman; Pham The Duyet, member of the Standing Board of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee's Political Bureau; Pham Gia Khiem, Deputy Prime Minister; and other Party and State officials.

3.2 million tonnes of rice for export in 10 months



Ha Noi, Oct. 20 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's rice export is estimated to reach 3.2 million tonnes by the end of October this year.
In the first days of October, the whole country shipped abroad 150 tonnes of rice, bringing the total quantity of rice export in the year to 3.1 million tonnes.

Enterprises nationwide have to date purchased nearly 6.78 million tonnes of paddy, equal to 76.3 percent of that purchased in the same period last year.

The



The Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) urged the entire people to help support the poor in Ha Noi on Oct. 17. It announced that Oct. 17 is from now on officially the "Day for the Poor".

The Day has been set up to promote national unity, particularly in the eradication of poverty and hunger.

Prominent among those at the launching ceremony were Advisor to the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Do Muoi, President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, VFF President Pham The Duyet, and other senior officials.

Healthcare system and health index in Vietnam



Ha Noi, Oct. 19 (VNA)-- Viet Nam's healthcare system has undergone great changes over the past decades. Almost non-existent just 10 years ago, Viet Nam's healthcare system now boasts a health index higher than those of other developing nations with the same per-capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Vietnam Airlines carry flood supplies free of charge


Ha Noi, Oct. 18 (VNA) -- Viet Nam Airlines has announced its decision to carry supplies free of charge to flood victims on both domestic and international routes.

The policy, coming into force on Oct. 17, gives priority to medicines, medical aid and other urgent supplies.

Vietnam position on the work of UN Security Council

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Oct. 18 (VNA) -- Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Chau, permanent representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations, addressed the 55th session of the UN General Assembly on Oct. 17, discussing the "Report of the Security Council".

The ambassador underlined the positive developments in the work of the council in the period from 16th June 1999 to 15th June 2000. He said:

Joint Vietnam - Algeria communique




Ha Noi, Oct. 17 (VNA) -- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika paid an official visit to Viet Nam from Oct. 15-18 at the invitation of President Tran Duc Luong.
A communique has been released about the visit. Main excerpts are as follows:

"President Abdelaziz Bouteflika held talks with President Tran Duc Luong and had working sessions with General Secretary Le Kha Phieu of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, met with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, Vice State President Nguyen Thi Binh and General Vo Nguyen Giap.

International fair to open in Hanoi on Oct. 19



An international industrial trade fair will be opened on October 19.

The fair attracts 300 businesses of 12 ministries and branches and 30 provinces together with nearly 100 companies from 14 countries and territories in the region including the Czech Republic, China, Taiwan, India, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Italy, Russia and Ukraine.

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