PRESS CONFERENCE
(Hanoi, 11 October 2012)

ANNOUNCEMENT

+ Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan to attend the 14th Francophonie Summit in Kinshasa, Congo  (Oct 12 – 14)

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan will lead a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 14^th Francophone Summit from 12-14 October 2012 in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Under the theme “Francophonie, Environmental and Economic Challenges facing Global Governance", the 14^th Francophonie Summit will focus on discussing the following issues: i) the role of Africa in Francophonie and in the global governance, ii) Environmental and economic challenges; iii) promoting the French language; iv) the security – politic situation in the world and in some Francophonie countries which are facing crisis.

Under the spirit of activeness and responsibility, the Vietnamese delegation will attend the Summit’s activities to practically contribute to the building of the Francophonie community, promoting development cooperation, particularly in economic cooperation within the community, enhancing and expanding partnership with Francophonie countries.

+ DPM Hoang Trung Hai to attend the 15^th Session of the Viet Nam – Russian Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Co-operation (Oct 16-20)

At the invitation of the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanovich Shuvalov, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai will visit Russia and attend the 15^th Session of the Viet Nam – Russian Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic-Trade and Scientific-Technological Co-operation from 16-20 October 2012.

At this meeting, both sides will review the implementation of agreements, exchange views and identify directions and measures to promote relations between the two countries in the future; and to exchange views on international and regional issues of mutual concerns.

+ Bulgarian DPM to pay an official visit to Viet Nam (Oct 16-19)

At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Bulgaria Simeon Dyankov will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from October 16-19, 2012.

The visit is aimed at further promoting the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Bulgaria. Both sides will discuss ways and means to implement the 2013-2015 Action Plan; exchange views on implementing a new economic cooperation model between the two countries.

The Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and pay courtesy calls on Vietnamese leaders.

+ The 7^th Cambodia – Laos – Viet Nam Development Triangle Summit (Oct 19 – 20)

The 7^th Cambodia – Laos – Viet Nam Development Triangle Summit will take place in Ho Chi Minh City October 19-20, 2012. The Prime Ministers of Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam will attend the Summit. The summit also convenes senior officials from ministries, industries, provinces and businesses from the three countries.

The Summit aims at: (i) promoting the cooperation mechanism among the three countries to continue implementing socio-economic development programs and plans in the Triangle Development area; (ii) discussing about the implementation of the Cambodia – Laos- Viet Nam Development Triangle Plan by 2020.

+ QUESTION AND ANSWER:

Question: Recently, China has conducted various activities that seriously violate Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands. Following a number of illegal activities aimed at building and developing the so-called “Sansha city”, China on October 1^st held the flag raising ceremony to celebrate its National Day on Phu Lam Island (Woody island), Hoang Sa islands. On October 3^rd, the Nanhai fleet conducted military drills for emergency cases in the waters of Hoang Sa islands. On October 8^th, China official open the Sansha city meteorological bureau. Earlier on the 23^rd September 2012, the Chinese media reported that China will use unmanned aircrafts to increase the surveillance in the sea, including the waters of Hoang  Sa and Truong Sa islands. What is Viet Nam’s reaction to the above – said moves by China?

Answer:

The said activities by China seriously infringe upon Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, violate the international laws and the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of maritime issues between Viet Nam and China signed in October 2011, and indeed go against the spirit of the Declaration on Conducts of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) signed between ASEAN and China in 2002, thus further complicating the situation in the East Sea. Those actions are completely invalid.

Viet Nam requests China to respect the sovereignty of Viet Nam and refrain from taking any further similar wrongdoings in order to practically contribute to the development of friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and China as well as to the maintenance of peace and stability in the East Sea.

Question: Please advise Viet Nam’s position on the Cooperation Agreement signed on September 27, 2012 between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan?

Answer:

Viet Nam acclaims the September 27 signing of the Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement by the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan and believes that this Agreement will contribute to boosting cooperation between the two countries for the shared interests of their people and for peace and stability in the region. 

Viet Nam wishes both sides continue to make efforts in negotiations to soon work out settlement on pending issues in the constructive spirit and mutual understanding.

Question: Please advise when and where Vietnam and South Africa will sign a bilateral agreement on anti-illegal wildlife trading and trafficking?

Answer:
 
Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and South Africa’s Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs have conducted negotiation and are in the stage of finalizing legal procedures to sign at the earliest time an “MOU on Cooporation in Bio-diversity  Managament and Law Enforcement” whereby Vietnam and South Africa commit to join the international efforts in protecting all species of wild animals from poaching, illegal trading and trafficking.