VNA Party chief praises Cuba's creative spirit Vietnam highly appreciated the Cuban Party and people's staunch and creative spirit in their socialist construction and defence as well as their struggle against the US embargo and blockade, Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu said while meeting with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Parez Roque in Hanoi on February 24. Mr Phieu told his Cuban guest that Vietnam welcomed the Cuban people's great achievements that helped raise Cuba's international prestige and win worldwide sympathy and support. The general secretary also reaffirmed Vietnam's traditional solidarity and friendship with Cuba as well as the continuation of the comprehensive and reliable co-operation between the two Communist Parties and people. The Cuban foreign minister briefed Mr Phieu about the results of his talks with Vietnam's Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien and thanked the Vietnamese Party and people for their wholehearted help and support. He also briefed the general secretary about Cuba's current situation and its firm resolve to build and defend socialist Cuba as well as defeat the US embargo and blockade. (VNA) **** Cuban foreign minister ends visit Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque left Hanoi on February 25, concluding his three-day official visit to Vietnam. While here, Minister Roque was received on separate occasions by Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, President Tran Duc Luong, National Assembly Chairman Nong Duc Manh and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam. He held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Dy Nien. During these meetings and talks, the two sides informed each other of the situation in their respective countries, affirmed solidarity and friendship between the two Parties, States and people, and exchanged views on comprehensive co-operation between Vietnam and Cuba as well as on regional and international issues of common concern. Minister Roque and his entourage paid a floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, visited his residence and office, called at the International Relations Institute, the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) and the Hanoi Footwear Joint Stock Company. (VNA) **** Prime minister visits Son La Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his working delegation visited Son La province on February 23 and 24 as part of their north-western region inspection tour. After hearing report on socio-economic development, security and national defence from provincial leaders, the prime minister visited Pa Vinh to inspect preparations for the construction of Son La hydro-electric power plant, the country¹s biggest plant. The prime minister said he was very happy at the changes in the province with stable socio-economic situation while political stability was well maintained, especially at the successful organisation of the provincial 11th Party Committee Congress. The prominent feature is that the Party Committee was good at leading the socio-economic development work, exploiting well the potentials of the province and successfully implementing the Party¹s policies on remote, mountainous and disadvantaged areas. Son La¹s investment in 13 difficult and disadvantaged villages with upgraded and new infrastructure is the right development. On the Son La hydroelectric power plant, the prime minister said the construction is the intention of the Party and the policy of the government. The building of the plant not only provides more electricity to the country, but also helps to regulate water upstream to control flooding in the Red river delta. He said preparation for the construction of the plant should be done with great care, especially resettlement of people living in the submersible areas of the reservoir when the dam is built. This is also an opportunity for the province to redistribute population and make better living place for people in the new settlement areas. The prime minister assigned the province to work with concerned ministries and agencies to prepare conditions for the start of the construction, especially the relocation of people affected by the rising water of the reservoir to four new approved resettlement locations, through which to mix effectively socio-economic development programmes with resettlement work. The prime minister had a public speaking session with 400 people in Son La town. He encouraged the people of Son La to exercise the unity tradition in the new situation. **** Vietnam, Russia sign agreement Documents for co-operation between Vietnam's Public Security Ministry and the Russian President's Liaison and Information Agency (LIA) was signed in Hanoi on February 24. Signatories were Public Security Minister Senior Lieutenant General Le Minh Huong and LIA General Director Senior Lieutenant General V G Matchiukin. General Matchiukin is leading a high-ranking delegation to Vietnam at the invitation of General Le Minh Huong. At the signing, General Huong told his guest that the help given to Vietnam by first the Soviet Union and now the Russian Federation was appreciated. The delegations briefed each other about the situation in their countries and exchanged views about world and regional issues of mutual concern, especially factors affecting the security of their countries. They also discussed implementation of their co-operation programme. (VNA) **** Three Vietnamese receive Russia's friendship order Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on February 24 to award the Friendship Order to three Vietnamese citizens for their contributions to the development of oil and gas co-operation between Vietnam and Russia. The three awardees are Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation Tran Canh, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam-Russia Petroleum Joint Venture Enterprises (Vietsovpetro) Tran Le Dong and Vietsovpetro engineer Phung Dinh Thuc. (VNA) **** Posthumous medal for brave farmer The chairman of the Vietnam Farmer¹s Association signed a decision to posthumously present a medal ŒFor the Vietnam Farmer Class,¹ along with a bonus worth VND 500,000, to Mr Tang Van Ta, a farmer in Cu Kty commune, Krong Bong district, Dak Lak province on February 20. Mr Ta is remembered for his saving of three people from drowning. Heavy rain in October 2000 caused a flood in Krong Bong district. Mr Ta and another five people, were on the same boat to save rice on October 13. Due to strong wind and waves, their boat began sinking. Only Mr Ta could swim and he bravely saved the first two people and then the third one. Due to the strong flood and exhaustion, he was swallowed by the water. He died leaving behind a poor family with four children. Local people greatly admire his courage. **** Hail in Lao Cai, Son La damages crops Recent heavy rain with hail has damaged crops in the two northern provinces of Lao Cai and Son La. There was heary rain in Lao Cai province on the night of February 24 and early morning of February 25. There was also hail in some places in the province such as Lao Cai town and four districts of Bao Yen, Than Uyen, Sa Pa and Xi Ma Cai. The hail stones' diametre varied from 0.5 millimetres to 1.5 millimetres while the rainfall was measured at 25-16 millimetres. Heavy rain with hail caused much damage to agricultural production. A gust wind with hail at 3am on February 25 hit Muong Chien village in Quynh Nhai district, northern mountainous province of Son La, damaging the local people's rice seedling areas, fruit trees and other crops. The biggest hail stone's diametre was measured at 2 millimetres. Hail also hit some other areas in the province. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
