Vietnam News Agency (VNA)

Press Highlights Mar. 28

28/03/2008 -- 9:42 AM

Hanoi (VNA) -
Current Events

· Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hopes the Vietnam – Australia ties will be further tightened (Nhan dan, page 1).

· Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh will pay a State-level visit to Angola and Mozambique (All dailies, page 1).

· Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Tea Banh, who doubles as Minister of Defence, wrapped up his visit to Vietnam (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 1).

· Vietnam acclaimed Guinea Bissau for its progress in maintaining political stability (Nhan dan, page 8).

· Vietnamese Nationals’ Association in Cambodia held a conference in Phnom Penh (Nhan dan, page 8).

· At the Government’s March regular meeting: cabinet members unanimously agreed that efforts should be made to surmount immediate difficulties and proposed that economic growth and inflation index targets be readjusted (All dailies, page 1).

· At the National Assembly Standing Committee’s seventh meeting: Committee members are worried about the cap put on the interest rates. Ministers will give answer to questions on March 28 (All dailies, page 1).

· Ha Noi People’s Council passed a resolution on extending the capital city’s land border (All dailies, page 1).

· Report on a socio-economic survey in the Asia-Pacific region remarks that a bright prospect is in store for Vietnam in 2008 (Ha Noi Moi, page 8).

Socio-economic Affairs

· A press conference held on the cabinet’s regular meeting. The Government called on all businesses and people to practice thrift and save 10 percent of regular public spending. Efforts should be made to attain a GDP growth rate of 7.5 percent in 2008. Reining in inflation is priority No. 1 (Lao dong, page 1; and Saigon Giai phong, page 12).

· For the first time, an international fireworks display competition was held in Vietnam (Lao dong, page 1).

· Workshop “The Central Region – New Opportunities for Development Investment” was held to find out the shortest way for the region to take off (Saigon Giai phong, page 1).

· Medical test of a patient’ death suspected of H5N1 infection proved negative (Saigon Giai phong, page 11).

· On March 27, the Ministry of Science and Technology launched the Vietnam - VinaRen research and training network, which will connect Vietnamese scientists with 30 million researchers in the world (Saigon Giai phong, page 1).

· Vietnam is forecast to be hit by big floods and numerous typhoons this year (Saigon Giai phong, page 9).

· Pepper and coffee fetch high prices: the Central Highlands in danger of losing forests (Saigon Giai phong, page 9).

· Vietnam should not curb inflation at the expense of economic growth. The suggestion was made by Dr. Amarakoon Bandara, UNESCAP Representative, in an interview with the press (Saigon Giai phong, page 4).

· Solutions for stabilizing stock market: right medicine but the “dose is not strong enough.” This view was shared by Vietnamese and foreign experts (Saigon Giai phong, page 4).

· Operation Walk presented medicines and medical equipment worth 20 million USD (Lao dong, page 7).

· Inflation ran at 9.19 percent in the first quarter (Thanh nien [Young people], No. 87, page 3). The rate would hit 16.3 percent if compared to the same period last year.

· More measures are taken to stabilise the stock market (Thanh nien, No. 87, page 7). Many listed companies bought back shares for their securities fund. SCIC will announce the volume and value of its stock purchase weekly. The Ministry of Public Security launched investigation of rumours related to the securities market. State-owned commercial banks have not yet undertaken mortgage contracts and share repurchase (repo) deals.

· Top priority is given to containing inflation (Tuoi tre [Youth], No. 81, page 3). Inflation and the stock market’s slip became the ‘hot’ topics on the sidelines of the National Assembly Standing Committee’s seventh meeting. Finance Minister Vu Van Ninh and Chairman of the NA’s Finance and Budget Committee Phung Quoc Hien talked with the press on those issues.

· New challenges are emerging in poverty reduction efforts (Thoi bao Tai chinh Vietnam [Vietnam Financial Time], No. 37, page 11). The fight against poverty is facing new challenges when a great number of farmer households are living at just above the poverty line.

· More than 5.4 billion USD in foreign direct investment poured into the country in the first quarter (Thoi bao Kinh te Vietnam [Vietnam Economic Time], No. 75, page 4).

International Affairs

· China organised a Tibet tour for local and international journalists (Nhan dan, page 8).

· Security in Iraq continues to be unstable. Fghting continued despite the President’s ultimatum (Lao dong, page 6; and Nhan dan, page 8).

· Inter-Korea relations are tense (Nhan dan and Saigon Giai phong, page 8).

· Russian, American leaders’ talks on NMD is to take place in Sochi (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 8).

· Kosovo province is to pass a constitution’ in early April (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 8).

· Russia does not give the Prime Minister more power (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 8).

· The US President had a telephone talks with the Chinese State President (Ha Noi Moi, page 8).

· French President Sarkozy called for a new era in the France-UK relations (Ha Noi moi, page 8).

· Twelve people died and were missing in a helicopter accident in Ukraine (Ha Noi Moi, page 8).

· Washington lowered voice to Hamas (Saigon Giai phong, page 8).

· Election race in the US : Senators Clinton and Obama lost points (Saigon Giai phong, page 8).

· Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda stuck after six months in power (Lao Dong, page 6).-Enditem

Send this page