Rice export in 2001 and reserve-rice buying




April 4 (VNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan has instructed Mekong Delta provinces and businesses to efficiently organize the buying of 1 million tonnes of rice for temporary reserve in accordance with the Prime Minister's Decision.

Tan was chairing a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on April 4 with leading officials from Mekong Delta provinces, the Finance, Trade and Agriculture and Rural Development Ministries and food corporations to plan this year's rice exports and the buying of rice for a temporary reserve.

ESCAP report: VN's economic performance was robust in 2000




Ha Noi April 4 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's economic performance was robust in 2000, with GDP growth at 6.7 percent compared with the rate of 4.8 percent in 1999, a report of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) says.

The report was released at a press briefing held in Ha Noi on April 3 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of ESCAP.

Protestant Pastor highlights Vietnam's religious freedom policy


Ha Noi, April 4 (VNA) -- Southern Viet Nam Protestant General Council Chief, Pastor Pham Xuan Thieu has said he sees no reason why not to believe in the Government's respect of religious freedom and worship of the people.

"Since its inception, the Vietnamese State has always followed the policy of respecting religious freedom and worship of the people," Pastor Thieu said in an interview with Nhan Dan newspaper in connection with the Government's recent recognition of the legal status of the southern Viet Nam Protestant Church.

Vietnam supports Palestine





Ha Noi, April 4 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's Committee for Solidarity and Cooperation with African and Latin American People and Committee for Solidarity with the Palestinian People have expressed deep concern over the Israeli Government's "one hundred days" plan, saying it may worsen the crisis and bring the region to the brink of war.

People's awareness of HIV/AIDS improved markedly



Ha Noi, April 5 (VNA) -- People's awareness of the global epidemic HIV/AIDS has been improved markedly thanks to nationwide efforts to disseminate information about the disease, Public Health Minister Do Nguyen Phuong said.

Mr.Phuong was speaking to a two-day conference in Ha Noi on April 5 reviewing HIV/AIDS prevention activities over the past 10 years.

FM responds to Mr. Milosevic's arrest &landing of US aircraft


Ha Noi, April 3 (VNA) -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Phan Thuy Thanh has stressed that any action or interference that puts pressure on another country is unacceptable.

Ms.Thanh was answering the Ha Noi-based AP correspondent who was seeking Viet Nam's response to the arrest of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic by Serbia's security forces on April 1.

VN wants to boost software cooperation with India



Ha Noi, Apr. 2 (VNA) -- Viet Nam and India should further their mutual help and cooperation in software, particularly in personnel training and the marketing of software products, says Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem.

Mr.Khiem told visiting Microsoft India President Rajiv Nair in Ha Noi on Apr. 2 that his arrival was of great significance to Viet Nam's plans for matching advanced soft-ware industry countries.

More care for social beneficiariers




Ha Noi, Mar. 30 (VNA) -- The Viet Nam Government and people give better care to those who rendered great service to the nation, war invalids and fallen combatants' families.

The assessment was made at a conference in Ha Noi on Mar. 30 to review the implemention of the Government policy giving priority to those who served the nation with distinction between 1994-2000.

GDP growth of 7,2% in first quarter



Ha Noi, April 1 (VNA) -- Viet Nam recorded a gross domestic product, GDP, growth of 7.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, as compared to 5.6 percent in the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Department.

The increase was attributed to the positive results obtained in all key economic sectors, the department said, adding that the industrial and construction sectors grew 9.9 percent as compared to 7.4 percent last year, while that of the service sector rose 6.1 percent from 4.6 percent.

PetroVietnam exports 100 million tonne of crude oil



Ha Noi, March 29 (VNA) -- The Viet Nam Oil and Gas Corporation, PetroVietnam, has exported the 100 millionth tonne of crude oil by the end of March. It passed the 100-million-tonne mark in tapping crude oil on Feb. 13, this year.

PetroVietnam exported more than 4.3 million tonnes of crude in the first quarter of this year, marking a year-on-year rise of 22.3 percent.

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