The central province of Quang Ngai on April 10 handed over a historical document relating to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

ASEAN foreign ministers convened the first session of the ASEAN Political Security Community Council and a meeting of the ASEAN Coordination Council in Pattaya City, Thailand, on April 10.

 State President Nguyen Minh Triet on April 9 sent a message of congratulation to Kim Jong Il on his re-election as Chairman of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s National Defense Commission.

Cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan plays an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between the two countries, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Pattaya city, Thailand, on April 10 to attend meetings between ASEAN and its partners.

Vietnam and Portugal have agreed to increase their economic, trade and investment ties, especially in the fields of tourism, marine economy, electronics, information technology and renewable energy.

Vietnam supports the reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council towards higher transparency, democracy, efficiency and representativeness, said Ambassador Hoang Chi Trung, Vietnam’s deputy permanent representative to the UN.

A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Hanoi on April 10 for Pattaya, Thailand, to attend summits between ASEAN and its partners, including China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand and the UN.

Vietnam places a high priority on information technology development and wants to cooperate closely with Intel Corporation in this area, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving Craig Barrett, chairman of the Board of Directors of Intel Corporation in Hanoi on April 9.

Liechtenstein wants to strengthen cooperative ties with Vietnam, said the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, Alois Philipp Maria, while receiving newly accredited Vietnamese ambassador Hoang Van Nha on April 8.

Foreign and domestic economists and researchers attended a workshop in the northern province of Hai Duong on April 9 to discuss how Vietnam responds to the global financial crisis and economic recession.

Two Indian navy destroyers, Ins-Mumbai and Ins-Ranvir docked at Dinh Vu port in the northern city of Hai Phong on April, beginning a four-day visit to Vietnam.

Deputy Foreign Minister Doan Xuan Hung has been on a visit to Iraq as special envoy of the Prime Minister from April 6-9.

Vietnam will continue to focus its efforts on slowing down economic decline with cautious steps towards executing the monetary policy and managing the macro-economy towards the end of the year, said a senior government official.

Belarus always considers Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia, said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik, who is on a visit to Vietnam.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet asked the northern province of Bac Giang to make a breakthrough in poverty reduction during a visit on April 8.

A Vietnamese diplomat has called upon Djibouti and Eritrea to exercise restraint, stricly implement the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1862 (2009) and engage in dialogue to defuse tension with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable settlement.

Nearly 300 documents and items used during the land border demarcation between Vietnam and China are on display at an exhibition that opened in Hanoi on April 7.

President Nguyen Minh Triet on April 7 sent a message of condolence to his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano over the great human loss and property damage caused by the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in central Italy on April 6. 

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong held political consultations with his Belarus counterpart Sergei Aleinik in Hanoi on April 7.

A delegation of the Central Steering Board for Judicial Reform led by its first deputy chairman Truong Vinh Trong has paid a working visit to the UK and Northern Ireland.

Vietnam wants to increase multifaceted cooperation with the US for peace, stability and development in the region and the rest of the world, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving Senator John McCain in Hanoi on April 7.

The northern border province of Lang Son should make the best of its resources available to develop trade, services and tourism, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

The Legislative Research Institute under the National Assembly (NA) held a conference in the northern coastal city of Ha Long on April 7 to conduct a review of other institutes of this kind around the world and seek ways to apply their experiences in Vietnam.

Vietnam shares a view that the Six-Party Talks is an important and appropriate framework for the parties concerned to resolve their differences over the nuclear issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) through dialogues and peaceful negotiations.

A senior official of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) has pledged to increase bilateral cooperation and experience sharing with the Lao National Construction Front (LNCF) to further develop their ties as well as Vietnam-Laos relations at large.

The Government on April 6 issued a decree to enforce a new basic monthly wage of VND650,000 and another decree to raise the retirement pension and social insurance subsidy by five percent as of May 1, 2009.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a two-year plan (2009-10) to enhance information technology application at all government agencies.

Vietnam took notice of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s launch of its communications satellite "Kwangmyongsong-2" into orbit on April 5, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Dung.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU) should further educate young people and pioneers about political ideology, morality and healthy lifestyles, considering this as an urgent and long-term task, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.