Vietnam and the US should continue to develop relations bilaterally and multilaterally with a major focus on economic cooperation, while building an exemplary role model on coping with climate change and rising sea levels.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Dora on July 22 as part of the 28thASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) in Lam Dong province.

President Nguyen Minh Triet on July 22 met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN-Russia Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Coping with climate change along with using energy more efficiently must be ASEAN’s top priority in the future, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the 28th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) which opened in Da Lat city in the central highland province of Lam Dong on July 22.

On July 22, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Vietnam for a round of ASEAN meetings and numerous activities to celebrate the 15th anniversary of normalization of Vietnam-US diplomatic relations.

Vietnam welcomed China’s attendance at meetings between ASEAN and its partners and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) as a clear indication that China attaches importance to the strategic partnership with ASEAN and Vietnam.

The renovation of the institution and operation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has brought about efficiency in the organisation’s activities, raised its position and enhanced close cooperation between the IPU and the United Nations, said Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam National Assembly Tong Thi Phong.

The Party’s information and education agencies will focus on strengthening ideological unity as well as political and spiritual consensus while maximising the power of socialist democracy and the great national unity bloc.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem presided over the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which took place in Hanoi on July 21 within the framework of the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings.

Vietnam attaches great importance to developing relations with India and wants strengthen bilateral cooperation, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung at a reception for India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur in Hanoi on July 21.

In the 1999-2009 period, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Argentina saw a constant increase, from US$11.52 million to US$ 653.2 million.

The National Assembly will hold its eight session in Hanoi from October 20 to November 26. 

Republic of Korea experts shared experiences in coping with the global financial crisis and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) with Vietnamese partners at a policy dialogue in Hanoi on July 21.

The first ASEAN Senior Officials of Energy Meeting and Russia (SOME-Russia) closed on July 21 in Da Lat city in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong.

Senior officials from ASEAN member countries and their three dialogue partners (China, the Republic of Korea and Japan) met in Hanoi on July 21 to prepare for the ASEAN+3 ministerial meeting to be held in the afternoon the same day. 

Foreign Ministers from ASEAN member countries reached agreement on numerous important issues at the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-43) in Hanoi on July 20.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has praised the outgoing Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam, Rolf Bergman. 

The 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM 43) opened at the National Convention Centre on July 20, attracting 10 ASEAN foreign ministers; the ASEAN General Secretary and senior officials, special observer countries, and about 1,000 delegates from international organizations.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has confirmed that as president of ASEAN, Vietnam will do its utmost to materialize the core theme of 2010 – “Towards the ASEAN community: From vision to action”, which was ratified by senior leaders.

The People’s Police Force needs to become more professional to efficiently maintain security and order, said senior Lieutenant General Le The Tiem at a ceremony to mark the 48th anniversary of the Force’s Traditional Day (1962-2010).  

More than 150 leaders from legislatives bodies around the world have gathered for the third conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) which opened on July 19 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The 32nd session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee took place in Hanoi on July 20 to discuss five draft laws, review the results of the seventh session and prepare for the next session of the 12th NA.

A high ranking military delegation of Vietnam led by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Khac Nghien, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army has visited Singapore.

Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on July 19 separately met  and discussed with the Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Laos and the FMs of Thailand and Singapore measures to increase bilateral ties between Vietnam and these countries.

ASEAN General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan has hailed Vietnam’s preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-43) and related meetings taking place in Hanoi.

A delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has participated in the International Conference of Asian Political Parties seminar on poverty reduction in Kunming, China’s Yunnan province, from July 13-20.

The Prime Minister on July 15 ratified the agreement with Saudi Arabia on the double taxation avoidance and prevention of income tax evasion.

The fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Political and Security Community Council (APSC) and the Meeting of the Commission for the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) took place in Hanoi on July 19.

The ASEAN 28th Senior Officials of Energy Meeting (SOME 28) opened in Da Lat city in the Central Highlands Lam Dong province on July 19 as part of the 28th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM 28), entitled “Energy savings and climate change”.  

Vietnam plays an increasingly important role in the region, said Dr. Richard Cronin, Director of the Southeast Asia Programme of the Washington-based Henry L. Stimson Centre.