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VN Brief News 24/06/97
In brief
q The former Soviet Union and East European countries are traditional
markets for Vietnam. It is time now the country resume full trading
relations with those markets
q The former Soviet Union and East European countries are traditional
markets for Vietnam. It is time now the country resume full trading
relations with those markets
q Vietnamese people have their a typical way of acquiring sedans and
this reality should be taken into prudent consideration by auto joint
ventures.
q Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) presented 31
fishery projects calling for foreign investment at a conference on
foreign investment in agriculture, silviculture and fishery organized by
MARD and the Dutch Embassy last week in Hanoi. (SGT)
q Tan Binh Police Force has arrested six men who feed on robbing
people's belongings in the area of Superbowl dance-hall. They are aged
between 18-35, and live mostly in Tan Binh and Binh Thanh districts.
q UNICEF has provided US$2,450 in 1997-1998 for Daklak, Gia Lai, Kontum
and Bac Can provinces in a program to improve rural area management
skills, and develop a new lifestyle among ethnic communities. Courses
under this program are organized by the Committee for Ethnic Minorities
and Mountainous Areas of the Vietnamese Government.
q HCMC People's Committee and HCMC Committee for Overseas Vietnamese
have offered awards and medals granted by the State President to nine
Vietnamese expatriates in honor of their revolutionary activities in the
struggles against the U.S. and French forces. (SGGP)
q Raising spotted deer is developing in Di Linh District (Lam Dong). The
occupation brings local people a high income, therefore, a spotted-deer
raising association has been established here to promote the occupation.
q 1,000 hectares of farm produce in Quang Tri Province have been damaged
by drought. Wells and reservoirs in the locality are drying up due to
the drought, giving rise to water shortage for cultivation and daily
activities.
q 700,000 international visitors have come to Vietnam in the first six
months of the year, making up 93.1% compared with the same period last
year.
q The largest number even of red-headed cranes flew to Tam Nong Bird
Sanctuary in Dong Thap Province by the end of May. An additional 600
red-headed cranes are expected to fly here in the rainy season.
q Vietnam Pharma-ceutical Corporation (Vinapharm) has presented 14
projects worth US$180 million calling for foreign investment in a move
to modernize the medical sector from now through 2000 and 2010.
Currently, the country has 18 licensed pharmaceutical JVs.
(Lao Dong)
ASEAN countries agree on trans-Asia railway project
Vietnam ratifies ASEAN agreements
(SGT-HCMC) Directors general of railway corporations from ASEAN
countries have agreed on cooperation to conduct the feasibility study
for the project to build a trans-Asia railway network linking countries
in the region.
The agreement was reached during a railway conference hosted in Bangkok
in mid-June.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Bang, chief of the International Relations Department of
Vietnam's Railway Union, said senior railway officials have agreed that
each country will incur the expenditures for the construction of
stretches of the rail link running across its territory.
The conference also targeted an early completion of the feasibility
study so that it can be submitted to the ASEAN summit scheduled in late
1997.
Malaysia has spent US$850,000 for its pre-feasibility study, which was
considered at the railway directors-general conference.
Vietnam has plans to link its railway network with the trans-Asia rail
link through Loc Ninh in Binh Phuoc Province (linking with Phnom Penh).
Another railway is expected to link with the sub-region railway network
through a railroad running from Central Vietnam to Laos and Thailand.
Bang said Lao and Vietnamese railway leaders have discussed plans for
cooperation to build a common railway network for both countries.
The next railway directors-general conference scheduled for 1998, will
be hosted in Vietnam.
* Vietnam has ratified a number of ASEAN agreements including those on
the establishment of the ASEAN Secretariat, funding the ASEAN-EC
Management Center, the ASEAN Foundation, protection of nature and
natural resources, strengthening cooperation on mass media and cultural
activities, cooperation in oil security in ASEAN, prioritization for
ASEAN bidders, and establishment of the ASEAN Trade, Investment and
Tourism Promotion Center.
The Prime Minister issued a decision to ratify these agreements on June 20.
BOT investment called for HCMC North-South road
(SGT-HCMC) An investment of over VND3,988 billion (some US$361 million)
will be required for the implementation of the project to build the HCMC
North-South axis road, said a source from HCMC Urban Development
Services Company (Udesco).
An official of Udesco, who asked not to be named, said investment in the
form of B-O-T (build-operate-transfer) is expected for the
implementation of the project, together with the leasing of 200 hectares
of land in the city outskirts for a 40-year term.
The North-South axis road, 13,410 meters long, is designed as a grade-1
road, with 4-6 lanes, and runs along the following route: An Suong
Intersection-Tham Luong Bridge (Hoc Mon District)-Cong Hoa Street-Hoang
Viet Street (Tan Binh District)-Hoa Hung Railway Station-Dan Chu Square
(District 3)-Phu Dong Square-Ong Lanh Bridge (District 1).
The whole route will include a 5,500-m section running through a bridge
from Cong Hoa Street to Phu Dong Square, and another section, 2,650
meters long, linking Tan Son Nhat Airport with the North-South axis road
via Hoang Van Thu and Truong Son streets.
According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, director of Udesco, which is
presiding over the preparation of a feasibility study for the project,
construction of the axis road is likely to start in 1998, with the
development of an aboveground section from Cong Hoa Intersection to Dan
Chu Square. After that, as the section from Dan Chu Square to Phu Dong
Square is available, the developer will need to upgrade and expand it
only; bridges on this road will be developed by Construction Corporation
No. 6.
664 candidates to run in NA general election
(SGT-HCMC) The Central Election Committee has officially approved the
list of 664 candidates for the July 20 general election instead of 666
as reported by the Saigon Times Daily yesterday.
National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh, chairman of the Central
Election Committee, last Saturday signed a resolution on announcement of
the list of candidates eligible to run in the election.
In the last minutes, the names of two candidates were deleted from the
list as one of them submitted documents three days later than scheduled
and the other voluntarily withdrew, according to a source from the
committee.
Diplomatic notes
q Laotian cultural mission on Vietnam tour
A 20-member mission from Laos' Ministry of Information and Culture
arrived in HCMC on June 20 on a working tour of Vietnam.
The tour, which will include visits to HCMC, Dalat, Nha Trang and other
localities, aims at exchanging experiences in organizing cultural
activities with Vietnamese concerned authorities.
This visit is part of the cooperation program between the two ministries
of Information and Culture from Vietnam and Laos in 1997.
q Netherlands' financial support to Hue University
The Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) and the Center for Rural
Development (CRD) of Hue University for Agriculture and Forestry signed
an agreement on institutional capacity building cooperation on June 16.
According to the agreement, SNV will provide support of some US$168,000
to develop CRD's activities in training, research, consultancy and
data-information delivery.
q Germany to fund reforestation projects DM15 million
Dr. Vogt, Chairman of the Management Board of Germany's Reconstruction
Bank, signed an agreement on reforestation with Deputy Minister for
Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quang Ha during his visit to
Vietnam from June 18 to 23.
According to this agreement, German will provide assistance of DM15
million to a project on reforestation over 21,000-hectare areas in Ha
Tinh, Quang Tri and Ha Tinh.
Japan to help develop VN's telecommunications
(SGT-HCMC) Japanese Minister for Posts and Telecommunications, Hisao
Horinouchi, on a four-day working tour of Vietnam, introduced plans to
help Vietnam develop its telecommunications industry and radio and TV
broadcasting to Party leader Do Muoi during a meeting in Hanoi on June
20.
The Japanese minister was here to discuss Japan's support to develop
Vietnam's telecommunications, radio and television broadcasting with his
Vietnamese counterparts, according to a press release from the Japanese
Embassy in Hanoi.
During the visit, Minister Horinouchi was also received by Deputy PM
Nguyen Khanh and held talks with Deputy Minister for Planning and
Investment Vo Hong Phuc and Director General of General Department of
Posts and Telecommunications Mai Liem Truc.
Internet Vietnam to start operation this month
(SGT-HCMC) Internet Vietnam will officially start operations later this
month, and scientific and educational networks will be encouraged to
access the Internet, said Mr. Chu Hao, Deputy Minister of Science,
Technology and Environment.
VDC Company, under Vietnam National Post and Telecoms Corporation (VNPT)
is the only unit authorized to supply IAP (Internet Access Provider)
services integrating Internet Vietnam to the world. It has prepared two
gateways in Hanoi and HCMC.
Hao, permanent member of the National Coordination Committee for
Internet Vietnam, told the local press that there are currently some
units with enough networking services to provide ISP (Internet Service
Provider) services, including the network of the Trading Information
Center, VARnet network, the network of FPT, and Vinet network of Batin
Company. In the coming time, those units in need of opening and
qualified for ISP services are entitled to submit applications for
licenses.
Violations in post, telecom subject to penalties
(SGT-HCMC) Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet last Thursday signed a decision
specifying administrative penalties for offenders of regulations on
State management of post and telecom services.
The decision, which takes effect 15 days as from the signing date,
states that when discovering violations of regulations on post, telecom
and radio frequencies, relevant agencies should terminate such acts.
If damage reaches VND1 million (some US$87) but parties concerned cannot
resolve the problem, authorized bodies will decide on the amount of
compensation. Meanwhile, if damage causes losses of more than VND1
million, the case will be handled in accordance with civil proceedings.
Violators, be they organizations or individuals, will be subject to one
of the two forms of punishment: warning or fining. The lowest fine is
VND50,000 while the highest, VND100 million.
Depending in the nature and level of violations, offenders will be
liable to other forms of penalties, such as revoking of licenses,
confiscation of material evidence, and restoration of the original
status of post and telecom facilities.
Power supply normal in North
(SGT-HCMC) Electric power supply and demand throughout the country have
begun to stabilize since the crisis of lack of electricity in Northern
Vietnam, said Mr. Bui Thuc Khiet, vice director general of Electricity
of Vietnam (EVN).
For a few days, the country's demand for electricity reached 56 million
kWh because of hot weather, but the figure dropped to 50 million when
the weather cooled. In particular, HCMC once required up to 14.5 million
kWh per day.
Some areas in the city have suffered from occasional powercuts in recent
days. Officials said this situation has resulted from inadequate power
sources; in fact, demand exceeded supply by 70 megawatts on June 19.
Medical expo opens US$1 mil. deals
(SGT-HCMC) Many business contracts worth US$1 million were signed
between Vietnamese and foreign pharmaceutical companies on the opening
day of the fourth Vietnam Medical and Pharmaceutical Expo at
Reunification Palace in HCMC.
This year's expo is attended by many medical equipment companies from 16
countries worldwide and Vietnam, with over 500 medical equipment items
and pharmaceuticals on display.
At this expo, South Korean companies are introducing ginseng medicines,
transfusion liquids, and specialized pharmaceuticals, while Japanese
companies display X-ray devices, surgical boards and cosmetics for skin
burns.
According to Mr. Tran Hai, an advertising and marketing expert of the
international relations department of Medical Import-Export Company I
(Vimedimex Hanoi), the expo is really promising.
Organized by Vimedimex-Hanoi and Advertising and Trade Fair (Ministry of
Trade), the expo attracted 2,000 viewers on opening day, June 23.
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