VNA Party leader's works published in English, Spanish A collection of selected speeches and written papers of Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu has been published in English and Spanish. The book, entitled 'Vietnam Enters the 21st Century', covers Mr Phieu's speeches since he took the post as general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam until the end of last year. It consists of 300 pages, focusing on four main themes, including the building of the Party - the building of the political system and the socialist legislation-based State; the implementation of the national industrialisation and modernisation; culture - education and science - technology; policy for external relations and integration. The book is published by The Gioi (The World) Publishers. **** Political book centre to be built The Political Publishing House began building a Communist Party of Vietnam Theory and Politics Book Centre in Hanoi on April 11. Mr Tran Dinh Nghiem, director and editor-in-chief of the Political Publishing House said that the centre was a work to welcome the Ninth National Party Congress after highlighting the assistance of agencies and individuals. The four-storey centre on an area of 436 square metres will introduce and circulate the Party's documents, political and law books. The centre will include a reading room for different kinds of readers. The centre will also be a venue for seminars and exchanges of scientists, especially the publishing councils of Ho Chi Minh Selected and Complete Works, Marx-Engels Selected and Complete Works and Party's Documents Complete Works. The ground breaking ceremony were attended by Mr Do Muoi, advisor to the Communist Party Central Committee; Mr Huu Tho, director of the Party's Commission for Ideology and Culture; Mr Dang Huu Hai, acting director of the Party's Commission for Finance and Administration and others. **** Exhibition on Party held in HCM City The Vietnam Revolutionary Museum, in co-ordination with Ho Chi Minh City's Culture college, held an exhibition entitled 'The Communist Party of Vietnam - Congresses and Achievements' in Ho Chi Minh City. This is to welcome the Ninth National Party Congress and the 26th anniversary of the south's liberation. The exhibition consists of three parts. Part I: the Communist Party of Vietnam: Congresses Part II: Main achievements of Vietnam under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam over the past 71 years. Part III: The entire Party and people towards the Ninth National Party Congress, firmly advancing to the 21st century. The exhibition displays nearly 200 documents, photos and artefacts which reflect congresses and achievements of Vietnam in the 20th century under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. **** Winners of contest on Motherland, Party, Uncle Ho awarded Winners of the contest entitled ŒThe Glorious Party, Great Uncle Ho and Prosperous Country Advancing to the 21st Century¹ received their prizes at an award presentation ceremony held yesterday in Hanoi. The first team prize went to the youth and people of Thai Nguyen province. The three second team prizes belonged to the youth and people of the provinces of Bac Giang, Nghe An and Hai Duong. There were also eight third team prizes and 71 consolation team prizes. Ms Nguyen Thi Khanh Hiep from the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Company won the first individual prize while Dao Viet Ha (Rural Work Construction College), Nguyen Thi Hoan (Law College) and Tran Van Thuan (the National Assembly Office) were the owners of the second individual prizes. There were six third individual prizes and 80 consolation individual prizes. Awards were presented by Politburo member Pham The Duyet, who is also president of the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee; Politburo member Nguyen Phu Trong, who is also secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee; Hong Vinh, Party Central Committee member, Nhan Dan newspaper editor-in-chief, president of the Vietnam Journalists¹ Association and other members of the organising board. Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu also sent gifts to 16 units and individuals. Twelve units and ten individuals received Certificates of Commendation of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee. The organising board also presented gifts to 15 individuals whose papers were carefully written but did not receive any high prizes. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Pham The Duyet praised the winners and affirmed that this was a greatly meaningful activity to welcome the Ninth National Party Congress. The contest, which was launched on January 1, 2000, attracted the participation of over four million people. Nhan Dan and Tien Phong newspapers are the two organisers. **** 'Renovation' contest awards presented Fifteen collectives and 90 individuals have been awarded prizes for their excellent written papers to a contest to write about the renovation line achievements, which was launched among workers and State employees nationwide. Of the prizes given to individuals, there are two first prizes, five second prizes, 20 third prizes and 63 consolation prizes. The first prizes went to Do Thu Hong from Department of Propaganda and Training of Hoai Duc district Party Committee of Ha Tay northern province and Tran Phan Trong Anh from An Dong Trade and Service Centre in Ho Chi Minh City. The prize presentation ceremony was held in Hanoi yesterday by the Vietnam's Labour Confederation and the Party's Commission for Ideology and Culture. **** Defence attache office in Australia opens Vietnam's Defence Attache Office in Australia officially opened in Canberra on April 10 in the presence of military and diplomatic corps from Australia, China, Japan and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chief of the Australian Defence Force Admiral Chris Barrie described the event as a milestone in the development of Australia-Vietnam relations, particularly co-operation in national defence. Referring to his recent visit to Vietnam, he recalled fine impressions and expressed hope that the Chief of General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army would pay a visit to Australia. Australia opened its defence attache section in Hanoi in February 1999. (VNA) **** Vietnam supports complete elimination of nuclear arms Vietnam has always supported regional and international efforts to achieve the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, Counsellor of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, UN, Hoang Chi Trung said. He was speaking at the 2001 Substantive Session of the UN Disarmament Commission in New York on April 10. The Vietnamese representative noted "First and foremost, on ways and means to promote nuclear disarmament, my delegation wishes to underline its strong support for the call made by the heads of States and governments in the United Nations Millennium Declaration for the convening of an international conference to identify measures to eliminate weapons of mass destruction." He said: "Vietnam firmly believes that an international conference on weapons of mass destruction is timely and can be a good vehicle towards agreed measures to free our world from all nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction." "Vietnam has always supported regional and international efforts to achieve the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. We fully share the view stated in the final document of the First Special Session on Disarmament that in the field of disarmament and arms control, priority must be given to nuclear disarmament," Mr Trung told the session. After welcoming the commitment made by States party to the NPT at the last NPT Review Conference to the strengthening and preserving the integrity of the ABM Treaty, the Vietnamese diplomat urged the States party to the Treaty to strictly abide by its provisions. He told the session that apart from being a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnam is currently holding the chairmanship of the ASEAN Standing Committee and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The country, therefore, supports the initiation of practical confidence-building measures as a way to facilitate the reduction of conventional arms and the prevention of conventional arms build-ups, thus making tangible contributions to the strengthening of peace and stability in the world and various regions. (VNA) **** Severe hail damages crops in Lao Cai The famous tourist resort of Sa Pa town in the northern mountainous border province of Lao Cai was hit by a severe hail on April 11 for 20 minutes. The hail stones' diametre was measured at about 2.5-3 centimetres. They covered the ground at 2-3 centimetres thick. The hail caused great damage to fruit trees, vegetable and other crops in the town. The district¹s Committee on Flood and Storm Control paid an inspection tour and urged the locals to take necessary measures in case other natural calamities may come. _________________________________________________ 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] __________________________________________________
