The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) has conferred the insignia “For Peace and Friendship between nations,” its highest honour, to two former heads of the Caracas guerrilla movement in Venezuela.

The South African Embassy in Vietnam hosted a reception on April 28 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of South Africa’s Freedom Day, which falls on April 27 and 15 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

President Nguyen Minh Triet has asked central Thua Thien-Hue province to zone off key development areas to turn Hue into a centrally governed city.

The 34th anniversary of Southern Vietnam’s Liberation Day and the 123rd anniversary of May Day were celebrated in Hanoi on April 28 with the participation of Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi, revolutionary veterans and heroic mothers.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong visited the Clinical Immunology Department at the George Pompidou Hospital in Paris on April 28.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has approved central Quang Tri province’s plan to build My Thuy deep-sea port and Dong Nam sea-based economic zone to spur its economic development.

The Czech Republic wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam, especially in economics, transport, the environment, food processing, waste water and industrial waste treatment.

Ha Thi Khiet, Secretary of the Party Central Committee (PCC), visited the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in Hanoi on April 27 to celebrate the 2553rd birthday of Buddha.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung on April 27 received Kuwaiti Minister of National Security Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, who is also President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh on April 27 visited Army Corps No 12 under the Ministry of Defence, which was in charge of transporting personnel and ammunitions to the southern front through the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail during the resistance war against US imperialists.

After arriving in Prague on April 26, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and a top-level NA delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met with overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.

Vietnam and the European Union ended their third round of talks on the signing of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) after three days sitting in Brussels, Belgium, from April 21-23.

Vietnam’s legislative body wants to increase the sharing of information and experience with its Singaporean counterpart in order to expand bilateral cooperation in a wider range, said a senior Vietnamese legislator.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Cuong visited Poland, Norway and Sweden from April 19-25 for political consultations with leaders of foreign ministries, businesses and representatives of Vietnamese communities in these countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on April 26 ordered the damming of the A Sap river for the construction of the A Luoi hydroelectric power plant in A Luoi district, central Thua Thien-Hue province.

Vietnam and China have agreed in principle to accelerate the establishment of an Eastern Medicine Institute in Vietnam and boost bilateral cooperation in tourism and culture between the two countries.

Vietnam strongly supports the early full deployment of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) in accordance with Resolution 1861, said a Vietnamese diplomat.

A joint statement released after a visit to Vietnam by the General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and State President, Chummaly Saynhasone, from April 23-25 underlined main orientations and measures to cement all-round cooperation between the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong, who chairs the National Committee for AIDS Control, has paid a six-day trip to Holland under a project funded by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and secretary of the Party Central Committee, has emphasised the importance of inspections and supervisory work in Party organisations.

The Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission convened its 24th session in Hanoi from April 13-24 with Nguyen Van Chi, Politburo member and secretary, in the chair.

Vietnam and the European Union have conducted the third round of their talks regarding the signing of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which will provide a favourable framework for them to expand comprehensive cooperative ties over the next few years.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong spoke of his satisfaction at the effective cooperation between major Vietnamese and Russian cities, which has contributed greatly to the strategic partnership between both countries.

The central province of Quang Binh should fully tap the advantages of its transportation system, especially the port and airport to develop its economy, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

The current visit to Vietnam by the Lao Party General  Secretary and State President, Choummaly Sayasone, will help bring the  traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive  cooperation between the two countries to new heights.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made public on its website the National Report to Review Implementation of Human Rights in Vietnam.

The central city of Da Nang is scheduled to hold a ceremony on April 25 to announce the municipal People’s Council’s decision on who will chair the Hoang Sa island district People’s Committee.

A delegation from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration, headed by Director Le Huu Nghia is paying a working visit to Laos from April 19-25.

Vietnam attaches great importance to promoting the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Russia, said National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

A Vietnamese diplomat has voiced support for efforts to put an end to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE)’s intentional use of civilians as hostages to extend the conflict it initiated in Sri Lanka.