State President Nguyen Minh Triet on October 9 presented the Universal Postal Union (UPU)’s Silver Medal and Certificate of Merit to 7th grader Nguyen Dac Xuan Thao from Da Nang.

Vietnam hopes that US President Obama, who has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, will actively contribute to peace keeping efforts, said Nguyen Phuong Nga, spokesperson for the Vietnam Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will attend an international fair in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China and visit the province and Chongqing city from October 15-17.

The Management Board of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on October 9 organized a seminar to sum up 40 years of preserving and safeguarding the body of President Ho Chi Minh.

October 10, 1954, marked the collapse of French colonialism in Indochina and the Vietnamese people’s glorious victory over it, opening a new era for the capital city of Hanoi and the country.

More than 30 international organisations and representatives from relevant agencies took part in a consultative group (CG) meeting on coping with climate change in Hanoi on October 9.

Vietnam’s natural disaster control system has been improved and its model to cope with disasters gets strong supports from the government, said a European Commission (EC) official.

Three Vietnamese citizens have been sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison on the charge of spreading propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The Government has asked all ministries and sectors to come up with policies and solutions to raise the economic growth rate a higher level in 2010 and in the following years.

Hanoi will host the 10th General Assembly of the ASEAN Law Association (ALA) from October 14-18 with the participation of 220 delegates from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and 100 from Vietnam.

Vietnam pledges to actively take part in large-scale programmes of mutual interest to UNESCO and Vietnam. The country supports the organisation’s efforts to contribute to world peace and development.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on October 7 received visiting Russian medical scientists who have participated in the maintenance of President Ho Chi Minh’s body.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received the newly-accredited Thai ambassador to Vietnam, Pisanu Chanvitan, in Hanoi on October 7.

Phu Yen is experiencing rapid economic growth, and holds great potential for developing tourism and its economy, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung at a conference in Hanoi October 7 on tourism and investment promotion in 2009.

Vietnam and Sudan should increase bilateral cooperation in various areas, especially economics and trade, to fully tap their potential, says State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan.

Vietnam and Sweden have signed a development cooperation agreement, in which Sweden is committed to providing Vietnam with a non-refundable aid package of at least US$36 million for the 2009-2011 period.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has sent condolences to his Lao counterpart Bouasone Bouphavanh over losses caused by typhoon Ketsana in southern Laos provinces, especially in Sekong and Attapeu provinces.

A national seminar on the relationship between socialism construction and national defence was held in Hanoi on October 6.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum says he wants to strengthen friendship and co-operation with Vietnam.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has affirmed that Britain will continue providing ODA to Vietnam in the coming time, particularly in response to climate change and rising sea levels.

It is very important to develop a programme and strategy to prove the political staunchness, intellect, and revolutionary and scientific characters of the Party and increase its leadership role in the nation, said Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.

The Party Central Committee opened its 11th conference in Hanoi on October 4 to prepare draft documents to submit to the 11th National Party Congress.

The first official session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presided over by Vietnam was held on October 4, following the agenda adopted last week.

Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan concluded a five-day visit to India on October 4, as guest of her Indian counterpart Mohamed Hamid Ansari. 

On October 3, the Party Committee, the People’s Committee and the Fatherland Front of the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang celebrated the 510th anniversary of its establishment, the 59th anniversary of its liberation and receiving the Ho Chi Minh Order.

A Vietnamese representative to the UN talked about situations in Cambodia and Myanmar at the 12th session of the UN Human Rights Council that closed on October 2.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged southern Dong Nai province to make full use of its advantages to fulfil the 2009 socio-economic development plan with an annual growth rate of 9 percent.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay section of North-South Highway project was held in HCM City on October 3 in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.  

Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem’s visit to Canada from September 28-30 has resulted in mutual agreement on measures to boost the two countries’ bilateral and multilateral relations.

Vietnam has recorded an economic growth rate of 5.2 percent and kept the inflation rate under control at around 7 percent.