PM reinforces Viet Nam’s plans to join WTO by 2005



HA NOi — Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has reiterated Viet Nam’s determination to join the World Trade Organisation as soon as possible.

Membership of the WTO would act as a new driving force for Viet Nam, he told delegates attending the forum Viet Nam: Readiness for WTO Accession in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

He also thanked the World Bank for its help to Viet Nam and said that he hoped it would continue supporting the country’s bid for WTO membership.

National Assembly wants SOEs to have more autonomy



HA NOI ( June 5, 2003)— National Assembly deputies want to give State-owned enterprises more autonomy to make them more efficient.

Many deputies, who were debating proposed changes to the law governing SOEs in Ha Noi on Wednesday, agreed it was time to free SOE from what they argued were the too many tiers of management both at the centre and in localities.

Deputy Hua Duc Nhi, Thai Nguyen Province, said: "SOEs are overwhelmed by managerial interferences from many different Government agencies."

Journalists visit VN for tourism check



HCM CITY (May 29, 2003)— Delegations of foreign journalists are touring Viet Nam under the invitation of Vietnam Airlines and some of the country’s tourism companies to check on the post-SARS situation.

The visits are aimed at scrutinising Viet Nam one month after it was cleared from the list of countries affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome, and to ensure Viet Nam can be advertised as a safe tourism destination again.

Amnesty report on rights abuses full of lies: Govt



HA NOI (May 29, 2003) — Amnesty International’s allegations about human rights abuses in Viet Nam were based on inaccurate information, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh said on Thursday.

Therefore they were totally rejected, she said in reply to a question from an Agence France Press reporter.

Thanh accused Amnesty International of inventing the allegations published in its annual report and said the organisation dared not print information about the real situation in Viet Nam.

Vietnam - Africa: Opportunities for Cooperation and Development

KEY-NOTE ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER H.E MR. PHAN VAN KHAi
At the International Forum “Vietnam - Africa : Opportunities for Cooperation and Development in the 21st century”

(Hanoi, 28-30 May 2003)


Excellencies Ministers,
Ambassadors,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

First VN celebrity search firm to spot new faces for movies


Viet Anh, literally translated Vietnamese Image, is helping domestic film producers find young talent for their movies. The firm also specialises in building backdrops and finding sites to shoot on.

Ba Vu runs the company, and has previous experience in the film industry.

"Starting the company was the biggest goal of my life," he says.

Viet Nam supports UN's assistance to Iraq


(05/27/2003 -- 20:53GMT+7)

Ha Noi, May 27 (VNA) - Viet Nam supports the United Nations and the international community's efforts in helping the Iraqi people stabilise and rebuild their country on the basis of respecting their independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and self-determination.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Ms Phan Thuy Thanh, said this in Ha Noi on Tuesday, in response to several correspondents' queries about Viet Nam's reaction to the UN Security Council's lifting sanctions against Iraq.

Remote communes apply IT for development

Nhandan.org.vn, May 27, 2003

Vietnam joins negotiation on WTO accession

Nhandan.org.vn, May 27, 2003

World Trade Organisation (WTO) members havespoken highly of Vietnam's positive changes in building and reforming economic policies at the sixth round of talks on the country's WTO accession.

The negotiation took place in Geneva from May 12-22 with the participation of the United States, the European Union, China, Japan, India, Australia, Switzerland, Malaysia, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Uruguay and others, according to the Ministry of Trade.

Vietnam free of cholera: OIE

Nhandan.org.vn, May 27, 2003

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has recognised that Vietnam is safe from bovine cholera, according to the Veterinary Department.

This was recognised in the Resolution 18 adopted during the 71st annual session of the OIE from May 18-23.

Before 1978, the infectious disease had struck cattle in Vietnam but there has been no more case since that year.

The OIE says that a country is recognised as being free from the disease if no cases are found within 10 years.

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