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.

24 Tay nguyen residents are not political refugees




Ha Noi, April 5 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh reiterated today, April 5, that the 24 Central-Highlands residents, who illegally entered Cambodia were definitely not political refugees. The spokewoman was responding to questions by AFP, France, and Reuters, Britain, correspondents at a regular news briefing in Ha Noi this afternoon.

Ms.Thanh said:

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.

FM Spokeswoman says asylum offer is an interference



Ha Noi, April 3 (VNA) -- The U.S. offer of asylum to 24 Vietnamese who fled to Cambodia was an effort to interfere with Viet Nam's internal affairs, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Phan Thuy Thanh said on April 3.

It was also intended to complicate relations between the countries involved, she said.

Ms. Thanh said:

" 24 Central Highlands, residents had fled illegally to Cambodia about March 19-22 and had been arrested by the Cambodian Government. They were not political refugees.

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.

US investment surges despite low disbursement rate



Ha Noi, March 31 (VNA) -- U.S. investment in Viet Nam has increased by almost 400 times during the past decade to more than USD 1 billion from USD 2.5 million in 1990.

Industry is the major attraction - more than USD 660 million in 60 projects or two-thirds of the total - reports Ha Noi Moi, New Ha Noi, daily.

For example, automobile maker, Ford Viet Nam, has design capital of USD 102 million.

The services sector is next with estimated total registered capital of USD 275 million in 30 projects.

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.

VN signed agreement on environmental protection



March 29 (VNA) -- An agreement on environmental protection in East Sea and the Gulf of Thailand was signed in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 28 by representatives of Viet Nam, Thailand, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

This is the first agreement signed by such regional countries to improve the sea environment.

The region is a home for 270 million people which is estimatedly to be double in the next 30 years and bring about many environmental problems such as pullution and over exploitation of natural resources.

Japan Airway ANA opens Tokyo-HCM route



Ha Noi, March 27 (VNA)-- Japan's All Nippon Airway, ANA, today, March 27, launched a new air route from Tokyo to Viet Nam's Ho Chi Minh City to meet Japanese tourists' increasing demand for flights to Viet Nam.

The Japanese aviation giant will cooperate with the Viet Nam flag carrier, the Viet Nam Airlines, to conduct two flights a week.

An estimated 140,000 Japanese tourists visited Viet Nam last year. The figure is expected to rise to one million by 2005, said Viet Nam Tourist Administration.--VNA


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