Vatican Dignitaries Visit Vietnam

Thu, 03/08/2007 - 06:56

A Vatican delegation led by Monsignor Pietro Parolin, who is the Vatican Under-Secretary of State for Relations with States, has been in Viet Nam for a working visit since Mar. 5.

The Vatican representatives made the visit after getting the approval from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

On Mar. 6, they had working sessions with a Vietnamese delegation headed by Nguyen The Doanh, Vice Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. The Vietnamese delegation also included officials from the Foreign Ministry.

Vietnam agency becomes US quality certifier’s partner

Wed, 03/07/2007 - 12:58

Vinacert has become the Vietnamese representative for the US’s ABS Quality Evaluations and will certify Vietnamese exports to the US.

Following its agreement with ABS the Vietnamese quality certification agency will provide certification for four kinds of management systems: ISO 9000 for management quality; HACCP/ISO22000:2005 for food safety; ISO14000:2400 for environmental quality; and OSHAS1800 for health and occupational diseases.

Vinacert will assist ABS QE in creating a local team of evaluation experts this year.

UN hails Vietnam efforts against women’s discrimination

Wed, 03/07/2007 - 12:55

The United Nations has praised the Vietnamese government for putting in place legal safeguards against discrimination against women.

Speaking at a discussion on gender equality and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Hanoi Monday, Vu Ngoc Binh, coordinator of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, placed on record the UN’s appreciation.

Vietnam had passed a number of laws for the elimination of discrimination against women and promotion of gender equality, he said.

HAPPY NEW YEAR - TET

Thu, 02/15/2007 - 14:31

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Vietnam considering visa exemption for diaspora

Tue, 02/13/2007 - 18:05

Vietnam would decide on visa exemption for Vietnamese holding foreign passports as soon as possible, President Nguyen Minh Triet said Friday.

Speaking to over 1,000 Vietnamese expatriates at a meeting in Hanoi, he said the government appreciated their contributions to the homeland.

The Vietnamese diaspora worldwide had played a major role in the country’s achievements in the past few decades.

US Court to Hear Appeal by Vietnam Dioxin Victims

Mon, 02/12/2007 - 11:37

The US Court of Appeals will soon hear Vietnamese Agent Orange (AO) victims who are appealing a verdict by the Federal Court in June 2005.

The plaintiffs' lawyer, Constantine Kokkoris, said, however, the schedule for the hearing had not been fixed and expected lawyers on both sides to work it out soon.

In 2005 the Fed­eral Court rejected a law­suit by the victims against US chemi­cal companies saying the case did not have legal grounds.

In related news, the US pledged $400,000 for Vietnam last week for cleaning up dioxin residues at a wartime US air base.

Party Leader Requests Economical, Democratic Election

Fri, 02/09/2007 - 13:59

images961629_nongducmanh.jpgGeneral Secretary Nong Duc Manh has asked Party committees, administrations and mass organisations to actively draw up specific plans and prepare all necessary conditions to ensure that the National Assembly election is to be carried out safely, economically, democratically and legally.

President Meets Returnees for Tet Reunion

Fri, 02/09/2007 - 13:53

President Nguyen Minh Triet affirmed that the overseas Vietnamese community has played a decisive factor in the country's successes in the past decades at a get-together held in Ha Noi on Feb. 9 for over 1,000 Vietnamese expats who have returned home for family reunions during the traditional new year festival (Tet).0209TRIET.jpg

US Diplomat Affirms No Mistreat of Returnees From Cambodia

Mon, 02/05/2007 - 17:53

No punishment or mistreatment were imposed on ethnic minority people from the Central Highlands who have previously fled illegally to Cambodia, said an US diplomat on Feb. 5.

Ellen Sauerbrey, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, made the remarks during a meeting with the press in Ha Noi regarding her 6-day visit to Viet Nam which began on Jan. 31.

Sauerbrey said all the seven people she has met and talked to, without government officials' presence, affirmed they were not mistreated or punished when they returned to Viet Nam.

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