EU, Vietnam WTO entry pact result of hard work; observers

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 04:00

Vietnam and the European Union managed to reach an agreement paving the way for Vietnam’s entry to the WTO thanks to its negotiators’ hard work during five days of intense talks, said observers.

Negotiations between Vietnam and the European Union began Oct. 5 and were scheduled to wrap up late Oct. 8. From the first day, both sides’ negotiators spent days and nights at the headquarters of the Ministry of Trade in Hanoi hammering out a final agreement.

New American school opens in HCMC

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:57

A new international school was recently opened in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, said the Ministry of Education and Training.

The school is called APU and will provide Vietnamese students with a social sciences curriculum used in American high schools. Students will graduate with diplomas recognized by American colleges and universities.

The APU School is also an English language center offering classes for learners at different levels.

Vietnam, EU sign bilateral agreement after concluding WTO talks

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:55

Vietnam and the European Union signed a bilateral agreement on EU recognition of Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade Organization in Hanoi yesterday Oct. 9 after the 10th round of talks wrapped up.

Vietnamese Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen and EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy announced the success of the talks at a press conference held right after the four-day negotiation round in Vietnam’s capital concluded.

“The agreement will make Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade Organization easier,” said Mr. Lamy at the press conference.

Vietnam's top exporters to be promoted online

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:54

Both domestic and foreign national trading promotion agencies will start displaying information about reputable Vietnamese exporters on their websites, reported the Ministry of Trade.
The Ministry said it will select successful Vietnamese and foreign exporters to feature on its website and other trade related sites organized by the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and the country's overseas trade offices.

1.3 million new jobs created by 2005, says MPI

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:52

Economists are looking for an increase of 1.3 million jobs and for the unemployment rate to hold at 5. 5 percent for 2004, the Hanoi Moi Daily reported Tuesday, quoting the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
Jobs have boomed with the economy churning out one million new jobs so far this year, 200,000 of which were created in September alone, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Letter to UN seeks support for Vietnamese Agent Orange Victims

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:50

Following a letter to American President George Bush on October 1, Len Aldis, Secretary of the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society, has sent another letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, calling for support for Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

The letter was also sent to the Vietnam News Agency bureau in London. He wrote:

Vietnam supports increase in the UN Security Council's membership

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:47

Vietnam supports an increase in the membership of the United Nations' Security Council in both categories: permanent and non-permanent. The country also supports measures aimed at ensuring broader participation, more democracy, accountability and transparency in the Council's work, said Ambassador Le Luong Minh, Permanent Representative of the Vietnamese Mission to the United Nations, at the Joint Debate of the 59th UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Petition creator urges U.S. to compensate Agent Orange victims

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:30

The creator of an online petition supporting Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange called on the U.S. government to take responsibility towards the sufferers on Oct. 1.

“I implore you to accept the United States' responsibility for the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange, in a spirit of decency and justice that is worthy of your office," said Len Aldis, secretary of the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society in a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush.

The letter was also addressed to U.S. senator John Kerry and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Agent Orange victims get over 4.6 mil backing signatures

Wed, 10/13/2004 - 03:20

Over 4.6 million signatures were collected, some online at www.petitiononline.com/AOVN/petition.html, to support Vietnamese Agent Orange victims in their lawsuit against the U.S. makers of the herbicide, announced an association.
The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin on Oct. 12 said that by the end of September they had raised more than 1.4 billion Vietnam dong to help support the victims.

Cargill to commission 3rd feed factory in Vietnam

Mon, 09/27/2004 - 16:58

US company Cargill Inc. will commission its third feed processing factory, capitalized at $US 12 million, in the northern province of Hung Yen on Sept. 29, said Cargill’s chief representative in Vietnam.
The factory will operate in Pho Noi A Industrial Park and is designed to turn out 200,000 tons of feed for cattle and poultry a year, said Truong Chanh, chief representative of Cargill in Vietnam. The factory aims to supply the northern market.

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