The second national convention of the spiritual council of the Baha’i community was held in the central city of Da Nang on May 1-2, drawing the participation of 200 delegates. 

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended a ministerial conference of the Joint Coordinating Committee of the Non-Aligned Movement (NOAL) in Cuba on April 29-30.

A delegation of the Vietnam National Assembly led by its chairman Nguyen Phu Trong returned to Hanoi on May 1, concluding a trip to Russia, the Czech Republic and Belarus. The trip is expected to open up new prospects for cooperation between Vietnam and these European nations.

Belarus attaches great importance to promoting multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, said Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky while receiving National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong in Minsk on April 30.

The Party and State respect Buddhism and other religions and create the best possible conditions for them to practice their faith, said a Party Secretary.

The Vietnam-Belgium Friendship Association held its second national congress in Hanoi on April 29.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has released a telegram requesting relevant ministries, sectors and localities to take preventative measures against swine flu which has spread and killed more than 100 people in a number of countries in the world.

The Hanoi People’s Committee has received a petition over a land dispute from Father Vu Khoi Phung, a member of the clergy, not just an ordinary Catholic.

The Czech Republic wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam, especially in economics, transport, the environment, food processing, waste water and industrial waste treatment.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung on April 27 received Kuwaiti Minister of National Security Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, who is also President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh on April 27 visited Army Corps No 12 under the Ministry of Defence, which was in charge of transporting personnel and ammunitions to the southern front through the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail during the resistance war against US imperialists.

After arriving in Prague on April 26, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and a top-level NA delegation visited the Vietnamese Embassy and met with overseas Vietnamese in the Czech Republic.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on April 26 ordered the damming of the A Sap river for the construction of the A Luoi hydroelectric power plant in A Luoi district, central Thua Thien-Hue province.

The current visit to Vietnam by the Lao Party General  Secretary and State President, Choummaly Sayasone, will help bring the  traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive  cooperation between the two countries to new heights.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made public on its website the National Report to Review Implementation of Human Rights in Vietnam.

Vietnam attaches great importance to promoting the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Russia, said National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

Vietnam and Laos have agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in all fields, including politics, economics, culture, national defence, security and diplomacy to bring bilateral ties to new heights.

Vietnam has enjoyed many benefits of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the past two years, such as a sharp increase in foreign investment and expanded export markets, said Nguyen Van Phuc, Head of the Government Office, during a seminar held on April 23.

A delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly led by Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Moscow on April 22, starting an official visit to Russia at the invitation of the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly Sergey Mironov.    

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong left Hanoi on April 22 to pay official visits to Russia, the Czech Republic and Belarus. The trip aims to further strengthen the traditional friendship and multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and these European countries.

A top-level Vietnamese delegation led by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh visited the Fukuoka prefecture in southwestern Japan on April 21.

Vietnam wants to strengthen relations with Japan’s political parties to promote bilateral cooperation, said Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.

Vietnam will present its Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council on May 8 to highlight its achievements and make commitments to safeguarding its citizens’ human rights.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on Vietnamese and Macao businesses to promote mutually beneficial cooperation, especially in trade, economics, investment and tourism.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on Hong Kong businesses to intensify investment and trade with Vietnam, pledging to provide favourable conditions for their success in the country.

Vietnam has condemned a lawsuit filed by two US bag manufacturers which ask for anti-dumping duties to be placed on plastic bags imported from the Southeast Asian country, said the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Le Danh Vinh.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong will pay official visits to the Russian Federation  the Czech Republic and the Republic of Belarus soon, the National Assembly External Relations announced on April 19.

Vietnam will work closely with China and other Asian countries to ride out the global financial turbulence, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung assured delegates to the 8th Boao Forum for Asia which opened in the Chinese province of Hainan on April 18.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh left Hanoi on April 19 for an official three-day visit to Japan at the invitation of Prime Minister Taro Aso.

Vietnam hails Iraq’s further achievements in the socio-political and economic fields as well as the significant improvement in its relations with neighboring countries and in international reintegration.