Announcement

1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son participates in "Foreign Ministries in the future" workshop in Brussels, Belgium from July 10 – 11, 2011

At the invitation of Secretary of State Ed Kronenburg of the Netherlands, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son of Viet Nam will attend the 2nd seminar on "Foreign Ministries in the future" which is organized in Brussels, Belgium by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands from July 10 to 11, 2011. Representatives of Ministries of Foreign Affairs of participating countries will discuss the role and structure of the Foreign Ministries and exchange experiences and practices in promoting the role of Foreign Ministries in the current situation.

2. Summer Camp for Vietnamese overseas teenagers

The 8th Viet Nam Summer Camp themed "Following Ly Tu Trong" is scheduled to take place from July 07 – 24, 2011 across the country in the North, Central and South regions with participation of about 150 fellow Vietnamese teenager students overseas from nearly 30 countries and territories.  The Opening and the Closing Ceremonies will be respectively held in Hanoi and Dong Nai province. Participants will take part in various activities such as calls on the leaders of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the State, visits to historical, cultural, tourist sites and meetings with teenagers in Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Phu Tho, Ninh Binh, Ha Tinh, Quang Ngai, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, etc...

"Viet Nam Summer Camp" is an annual activity hosted by the State Committee on Vietnamese overseas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is an opportunity for Vietnamese overseas youth and students to come back to the Homeland to meet, interact with youth in the country and to learn the lines and policies of the Vietnamese Communist Party and State and the development of the country, to improve their Vietnamese language and to understand the national morality of "He who drinks water should appreciate the water source" and the national history and culture.

Question and Answer:

Question: Please comment on the outcome of the recent elections of the House of Representatives in Thailand?

Answer:

The elections are major events in the political life of the Thai people. As a neighboring country and an ASEAN fellow that enjoys good and friendly relations with Thailand, Viet Nam wishes to congratulate the people of Thailand on their successful elections of the House of Representatives on July 03, 2011. Viet Nam always wishes for the stability and development of Thailand, which is in the  interests of the Thai people and for peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

Question: U.S. Navy ships are expected to pay port calls at Da Nang. How significant are the visits to the development of Viet Nam - United States relations?

Answer:
U.S. naval vessels USS Preble, USS Chung-Hoon and USNS Safeguard will visit Tiên Sa port of Da Nang between July 15 and 21, 2011. These visits are the annual activities that have been mutually agreed upon in advance in order to strengthen relations between Viet Nam and US navies, carry out humanitarian activities, exchange of experience  and search and rescue operations.

It should be noted here that these are not naval exercises as reported by the media.  They are regular exchanges between the two navies.

Several events are open to the media such as welcoming ceremonies, press briefings, courtesy calls on leaders of Da Nang City and Navy Region 3 Command, humanitarian health care activities, ship tours, meetings.

For accreditation to cover the visits,  the Vietnamese media and foreign media shall respectively contact Information Office of the General Political Department, Ministry of Defense and the Information and Press Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Question: The Age of Australia has a report on the case of Securency and Note Printing Australia, in which some officials of Viet Nam are allegedly involved. Is there any contact  between the Australian and Vietnamese governments to  investigate this incident? Does the Australian government ask the Viet Nam government to cooperate in seeking evidence for the case?

Answer:

We have been informed by the Australian side of the arrest of six Australian citizens charged for paying bribery to win contracts in currency printing business in some countries.

Viet Nam is ready to work with the Australia side on the investigation, clarifying and handling the  case in accordance with Viet Nam laws.