State President Nguyen Minh Triet made the remark at a meeting in Hanoi on December 27 to review the judicial performance in 2006 and discuss the sector's plan in 2007 as well as a number of measures for judicial reforms in the future.

The judicial bodies should also correct shortcomings in their activities to grasp new opportunities to help the country develop, the President added.

Regarding the sector's duties in the coming time, President Triet stressed that the judicial bodies must focus on combating crimes, especially drug related crimes.

They should also study and build a roadmap for judicial reforms and make a proposal on citizens bearing two nationalities.

According to Mr Triet another key task of the sector is to finally tackle negative cases of public concern, such as the PMU 18 embezzlement scandal, faulty electricity meter scam in Ho Chi Minh City, violations of land use in Do Son, Hai Phong and the Rusalka case in Nha Trang.

For judicial reforms, the State President said that the agencies must form joint research groups and learn experiences from foreign judicial bodies.