Nearly 500 NA deputies from across the country gathered in Hanoi on March 20 for the opening of the last session of the 11^th NA which drew the participation of Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, former Party General Secretaries Do Muoi and Le Kha Phieu, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, former State Presidents Le Duc Anh and Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Pham The Duyet and other revolutionary veterans.

During the past year, despite facing a lot of difficulties and challenges, Vietnam maintained a rather high and stable rate of economic growth and fulfilled or surpassed almost all of the set targets. The country made significant progress in poverty reduction while ensuring national defense and security, political stability and social order and safety. Notably, successes in foreign affairs and international cooperation created favorable conditions for Vietnam to promote socio-economic development and the international integration process.

In the first two months of 2007, the speed of socio-economic development remained as high as the remaining months of last year. The NA praised people and soldiers throughout the country for making every effort to overcome all difficulties in order to obtain such important results, Mr Trong affirmed.

Also at the session, Deputy PM Nguyen Sinh Hung presented a Government report on the implementation of socio-economic development tasks and the State budgets for 2006 and 2007.

Under the NA working plan on March 20, the NA will hear reports on activities in the 2002-2007 term from NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, PM Nguyen Tan Dung, President of the Supreme People’s Court Nguyen Van Hien and Head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy Ha Manh Tri.