Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung, on behalf of the Government and the Southwestern Steering Board, has sent his best wishes to Khmer ethnic people on the occasion of their New Year Festival - Chol Chnam Thmay.

The two Prime Ministers have discussed measures to tighten traditional friendship and boost cooperation in the fields that have greatest growth potential.

On April 2, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his delegation arrived in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Myanmar’s Prime Minister General Thein Sein.

The 122nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) concluded in Bangkok on April 1 after six days of meetings, with many active contributions and commitments made by the Vietnam National Assembly delegation. 

The northern port city of Hai Phong needs to build on its strengths, including its sea port, railways and airport, to accelerate growth, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Hanoi on April 2 for a three-day official visit to Myanmar at the invitation of Prime Minister Thein Sein.

More than 600 reporters, half of them from foreign news agencies, have registered to give coverage of the 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on April 8-9.

The World Bank has agreed to help the Vietnamese government organize a conference on science and technology innovation in 2010 and later devise a related project.

The government will continue to introduce solutions to stabilize the macro economy and rein in runaway inflation, striving to achieve a GDP growth rate of 6.5 percent set for this year.

Vietnamese Minister of National Defence, General Phung Quang Thanh on April 1 received a visiting Belarusian delegation led by P.A.Golovchenko, the First Deputy President of the Belarusian National Committee for the Defence Industry.

A grand meeting was held on Thursday at April 1 Square in Phu Yen to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the province’s liberation (April 1, 1975 – April 1, 2010).

The ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG) was held in Hanoi on April 1.

The 16th ASEAN Summit (ASEAN 16), the first summit of the 2010 ASEAN Year is due to take place in Hanoi from April 6-9. Sub-committees from the National Committee for ASEAN 2010 along with various ministries and sectors are finalising preparations to make the summit a great success.

The Central province of Binh Dinh held a meeting to mark its 35th Liberation Day on March 31 and to announce the Prime Minister’s decision to recognise Quy Nhon as a first tier provincial city.

Over the past 35 years, relations between Vietnam and Libya have developed positively and both states always support and help each other in the struggle against embargos.

RoK President Lee Myung-bak said he is pleased with progress in his country’s relations with Vietnam, especially the agreement on upgrading their relationship to the level of a strategic partnership.

As of April 16, 2010, the US Embassy in Hanoi and the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City will require all non-immigrant visa applicants to complete a new, electronic, web-based form.

Finnish President Tarja Kaarina Halonen has affirmed that Finland will further boost cooperation with Vietnam.

A resolution to build an inter-agency cooperation mechanism between the Government, the People’s Supreme Court and the People’s Supreme Procuracy was signed in Hanoi on March 31 in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The fifth Mekong-Japan Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) opened in Hanoi on March 31, drawing the participation of delegates from Mekong countries (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar) and Japan.

A Spokesman for the US Department of State has confirmed Vietnam’s commitment to expanding its programme of nuclear power for civil use in a responsible manner and its support for non-proliferation goals and the disarmament of nuclear weapons.

The Vietnamese and Chinese Ministries of Foreign Affairs have agreed to step up cooperation in organizing celebrations for the Year of Vietnam-China Friendship 2010 and preparing reciprocal visits by senior officials from the two countries later this year.

A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led by Zhao Leji, member of the CPC Central Committee, is paying a working visit to Vietnam from March 28-31.

Vietnam will do its utmost to lift ties with Laos to a new level for the benefit of people in both countries, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet in Hanoi on April 6-9 for their 16th summit to set out a development path for the regional bloc in the post-crisis period.

The fourth specialists meeting between Japan and the development triangle of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CVL) took place in Hanoi on March 30 to review the implementation of Japan’s 20 million-dollar aid package to the region and discuss ways of further boosting bilateral cooperation.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet received visiting Lao Vice President Bunnhang Volachit in Hanoi on March 30.

Vietnam is ready to help Tanzania develop agriculture based on a tripartite cooperation model with support from Japan or bilateral cooperation, says State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

The Vietnamese State and People will continue to develop ties of friendship and co-operation with Tanzania for mutual benefit, and for peace, co-operation and development in the world.

Vietnam has asked China to immediately, unconditionally release a fishing vessel and its crew, seized a week ago while fishing offshore Vietnam’s coast, said a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Nguyen Phuong Nga.