Thich Quang Do exempted from being under house arrest

(06/27/2003 -- 22:07GMT+7)

HCM City, June 27 (VNA)-The Phu Nhuan District People's Court in HCM City on Friday afternoon announced its decision to exempt Dang Phuc Tue (alias Thich Quang Do) from being under house arrest ahead of schedule.

Open arms and flowers welcome peace boat



DA NANG — The Japanese Peace Boat, which docked in Da Nang last Saturday, became the first international tourist ship to visit Viet Nam since the World Health Organisation declared the country SARS-free on April 28.

Eight hundred tourists, mostly students, poured off the boat, surrounded by hundreds of locals decked out with flowers and flags to welcome the arrivals.

HCM City must lead the way: PM



HCM CITY — Prime Minister Phan Van Khai wants HCM City to focus on re-structuring industrial production for the making of high-quality, competitive goods,
It should also become a pivotal commercial and financial centre that led development of the country’s economy and trade, he told a working session with the HCM City Party’s and People’s Committees on Monday.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the municipal authorities needed to quickly resolve such urgent issues as the supply of safe water, waste treatment, pollution, crime and other social problems.

President asks front to nurture democracy



HA NOI — President Tran Duc Luong wants the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee to play a greater role in ensuring grassroots democracy.

Such democracy was necessary to making the people understand, discuss, participate and supervise the workings of the State, he told members of the Central Committee, including the president of presidium Pham The Duyet and the committee’s General Secretary Huynh Dam.

Party leader pledges to beat the corrupt



HA NOI — Corruption would be steadily beaten, Viet Nam Communist Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh told 250 voters from Ha Noi and its outskirts on Tuesday.

But the work needed the support and participation of every individual and most importantly must be thoroughly done, he said.
The General Secretary said the lifestyle of Party members and State employees should be a model for others and they must keep themselves and their families away from the temptations triggered by the market economy.

Donors gather to take close look at ODA use



HA NOI — Viet Nam’s economic and institutional reforms, poverty reduction and growth schemes were scheduled to top the agenda at the mid-year Consultative Group Meeting opening on Thursday in Sa Pa.

The forum, expected to draw senior Government officials and about 50 international donors to Viet Nam, was expected to concentrate on the opportunities and challenges facing Viet Nam and the country’s progress in disbursing Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds.

National Assembly waives land-use tax for most farmers



HA NOI — A new regulation exempting millions of farmers from paying land-use tax until 2010 was adopted before the 11th National Assembly closed its third sitting on Tuesday.

The regulation – written by the Finance Ministry – exempts all northern farmers owning two hectares of cultivated land and all southern farmers owning three hectares of cultivated land from the tax.

Farmers holding more than two or three hectares will have their land-use liability reduced to 50 per cent.

Viet Nam's tea output ranks eighth worldwide

(06/19/2003 -- 20:48GMT+7)

Ha Noi, June 19 (VNA)-Viet Nam ranks fifth in tea acreage (108,000 hectares) and eighth in annual tea output (74,812 tonnes) among 20 tea growing and processing countries in the world.

The announcement was made by Doan Duy Khuong, Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) at a workshop to introduce Viet Nam's tea held in Ha Noi on June 19.

Viet Nam seeks int'l support to join WTO, says Foreign Minister


(06/19/2003 -- 22:26GMT+7)


Phnom Penh, June 19 (VNA)-Viet Nam's Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien welcomed cooperation from ASEAN dialogue partners to help reduce the gap among the grouping members and said Viet Nam sought further support to implement cooperation programmes.

Addressing the ASEAN's Post Ministerrial Conference Meeting (PMC) in Phnom Penh on Thursday, Nien said that Viet Nam wished to be backed by partners countries for integration as well as in bilateral programmes for new members.

ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, a big success, says Vietnamese FM

(06/18/2003 -- 22:33GMT+7)

Phnom Penh, June 18 (VNA) - Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien of Viet Nam has affirmed the great success of the 36th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-36), which was closed in Cambodia's capital on Tuesday, in an interview with Viet Nam News Agency (VNA).

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