The Chairman of ASEAN 2010, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said it is necessary to develop a close link between the legislative and executive branches to build an ASEAN community by 2015. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on April 8 received the presidents of Indonesia and the Philippines, who are in Vietnam to attend the 16th ASEAN Summit. 

ASEAN General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan granted an interview to Vietnam News Agency reporters on ASEAN’s development and the challenges on the way to building a common community by 2015 just after the first working day of the 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on April 8. 

A delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation led by its head, Ha Thi Khiet, paid a working visit to Venezuela from April 5-7. 

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh visited the northern port city of Hai Phong on April 7-8 to examine its preparations for grassroots level Party congresses.

ASEAN heads of State began their two-day summit in Hanoi on April 8 with the aim of setting forth directions and solutions to accelerate intra-bloc cooperation and bring the ASEAN Charter to life.

A Vietnamese National Assembly delegation led by its Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien has just visited Finland.

The Vietnam-Malaysia Joint Commission should meet as soon as possible to identify priority areas of cooperation between the two countries.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has praised the Ministry of Justice (MoJ)’s efforts to help the Government, and the National Assembly develop and enact an improved legal system.

Vietnam hopes to receive additional assistance from the World Bank to carry out its major development programmes, including those on sea and river dyke reinforcement and flood prevention.

A high-ranking delegation of the Ministry of Defense (MoF) visited Denmark this week at the invitation of the Danish Ministry of Defense.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers signed a protocol in Hanoi on April 8 to create a legal framework for settling disputes amongst member countries.

Vietnam will try its best to successfully organise the 31st ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) this year, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong assured a senior Indonesian legislator.

Vietnam’s Finance Minister Vu Van Ninh chaired the 14th ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting, which began in the coastal city of Nha Trang on April 8 with the finance ministers and the governors of every central bank in all the ASEAN member countries in attendance.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai arrived in Baku on April 7, beginning his official visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of the Azerbaijan Government.

The attendance of AIPA member delegates at the ASEAN-AIPA leaders’ meeting slated for April 8-9 in Hanoi reflects their support for Vietnam as AIPA-31 president. 

Vietnam has done its utmost for the 16th ASEAN Summit and its preparations are essentially complete, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan on April 7. 

As ASEAN 2010 Chair, Vietnam will do it utmost to boost the Socio-Cultural Community action plan in an open and constructive spirit for a stronger, more tightly-linked ASEAN. 

Vietnam praises Brunei’s experience in developing fishing and aquaculture and wants to expand cooperation with the latter in these fields, State President Nguyen Minh Triet told Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Hanoi on April 7.

“Vietnam will do its best to strengthen the relationship between ASEAN and China,” said Vietnamese Ambassador to China, Nguyen Van Tho.

The sixth ASEAN Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (ACGM 6) opened in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa province on April 7.

A delegation from the Ministry of Transport, led by Minister Ho Nghia Dung, has arrived in Cuba to boost bilateral cooperation in infrastructure construction.

The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) was officially established in Hanoi on April 7, with 20 members from 10 ASEAN nations taking part.

On April 6 the State Presidents Office made public the Ordinance on the legal procedures needed to arrest an aircraft.

Under the framework of the 16th ASEAN summit, the third session of the Meeting of the Senior Officials Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) opened at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on April 7.

On the occasion of the up-coming 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem granted the Vietnam News Agency an interview about the summit’s agenda and significance as well as Vietnam’s suggestions for the event.

Vietnam calls on the US to take responsibility for addressing the after-effects of the war it waged in Vietnam, including assisting the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.

A national conference was held in Hanoi on April 6 to review the implementation of a Party Resolution on encouraging and facilitating the development of the private sector economy.

Montenegro and Vietnam have great potential for boosting cooperation in economics, investment, trade, and particularly tourism, says Montenegrin President Phillip Vujanovich.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh will pay an official friendly visit to Laos on April 13-15, according to the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations.