Khiem, who is also Foreign Minister, wrote the 25th Foreign Affairs conference takes place at a time when the national renewal and international integration are entering a new stage of development marked with several milestones. He cited the 10th Party Congress with a development orientation and tasks for the next five years, the World Trade Organisation's recent approval of Viet Nam's membership and the 14th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting which was just closed in Ha Noi with great success.

The conference will review the diplomatic progress, as well as, work out orientations and concrete measures to bring the work to a new height and make it more effective, thus meeting requirements and tasks emerging from the regional and international integration process.

The Deputy PM affirmed that diplomatic staffs have managed to uphold fine traditions, which were a great pride of the Ho Chi Minh generations and constantly improved themselves, thus increasingly meeting demands for national development.

According to the Deputy PM, diplomacy for the sake of economy has became one central task and gained many important results, contributing to the expansion of export market, increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) and official development assistance (ODA), and boosting tourism and labour export. These factors help Viet Nam actively integrate into regional economy and the world as a whole. The joining in WTO marked a new step forward in economic integration.

The harmonisation between bilateral and multilateral diplomacy continued to contribute to raise the country's position and prestige in international arena. Viet Nam has so far participated in most international and regional organisations and forums.

The Deputy PM stressed that the achievements were attributable to the sound and lucid leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and the close guidance of the government.

After 20 years of renewal, the position and strength of Viet Nam have been enhanced. The country's international relations have been expanded. Many countries and important organisations have attached importance to boosting multifaceted relations with Viet Nam. Besides these advantages, the country also faces many new challenges. The world is seeing complex developments, while the globalisation process is being hastened, pushing all nations to a bigger and more complex playground.
Deputy PM Khiem set out seven major tasks for the sector with a view to successfully fulfilling tasks put forth by the 10th National Party Congress. The tasks cover the working out of an overall strategy on integration with suitable roadmaps and steps, the continued building of multi-faceted cooperative ties with other countries, particularly neighbouring and major nations and other important partners, and the stepping up of foreign affairs to serve economic development.

The diplomacy sector needs to continue building borders of peace, cooperation and development with neighbouring countries, especially accelerating the completion of border demarcation and marker planting along common border lines with China and Cambodia as scheduled (2008).

It should work to further raise Viet Nam's role at multilateral, regional and world forums, expand all-round cooperation with regional and international organisations, and participate in addressing global issues.

The sector is required to work for Viet Nam's bid to run for a non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council in the 2008-09 term and raise its role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Deputy PM said it is necessary to improve the quality of information dissemination and culture exchange, actively conduct dialogues on issues of common concern, including those related to democracy, human rights and religion, and resolutely fight against wrong arguments which abuse democracy, human rights and religion to interfere into Viet Nam's internal affairs.

Deputy PM also urged the sector to continue implementing the Political Bureau's Resolution No. 36 on overseas Vietnamese affairs through specific measures and policies, with more attention placed on protecting Vietnamese nationals and legal entity in foreign countries.-Enditem