VỤ THÔNG TIN BÁO CHÍ, BỘ NGOẠI GIAO NƯỚC CHXHCN VIỆT NAM

Press & Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of SR of Vietnam

7 Chu Văn An - Hà Nội, Điện thoại: 199 2516, Fax: 823 4137

No: 03/TCBC-NGĐ                                             Date: February 28^th , 2005

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I- MAIN DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITIES IN THE 2^nd HALF OF FEBRUARY 2005

   (In chronological order)

OUTWARD VISITS

From 21^st-22^nd February 2005, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, Chairman of the Vietnamese Sub-Committee attended the 7^th session of the Vietnam-Cambodia  Joint Committee on Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.

II- ANSWERS BY FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LE DZUNG TO QUESTIONS FROM CORRESPONDENTS

On 16^th February 2005,

Question: Please advise Vietnam's reaction to the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister R.Hariri?

Answer: Vietnam strongly condemns the bomb attack that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a prestigious politician of Lebanon and the Arab world.

We would like to express our profound condolences to the family of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

On 17^th February 2005

Question: Please provide Vietnam's reaction to Xinhua news that China has launched a large-scale research on the coral reefs of the Hoang Sa archipelagoes?

Answer: Vietnam's position on the Paracel (Hoang Sa) and Spratly (Truong Sa) archipelagoes has been clearly stated many times. Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence and legal foundation to affirm its indisputable sovereignty over the Paracel (Hoang Sa) and Spratly (Trưong Sa) archipelagoes.

Any act taken by another country at these two archipelagoes without Vietnam's approval is a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty and sovereign rights to these areas.

On 18^th February 2005,

DPA: Please advise Vietnam's reaction to the statement of the International Buddhist Information Bureau claiming that Thich Quang Do had been prevented from traveling to see Thich Huyen Quang to offer new year best wishes?

Answer: We resolutely reject the fabricated information of the so-called “International Buddhist Information Bureau”.

Currently, Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do are still leading their life and practicing religion in normalcy in Nguyen Thieu Monastery, Binh Dinh province and Thanh Minh Monastery,  Ho Chi Minh City respectively.

The sect “Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam” is no longer in existence in Vietnam. Buddhist organizations in Vietnam have been unified since 1981 and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is the only organization of Vietnamese Buddhist followers. Dignitaries, monks and worship establishments of the “Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam” are now under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

On 21^st  February 2005,

Question: Please advise Vietnam's reaction to the appointment of Bishop Ngo Quang Kiet to be the Archbishop of Hanoi. Has his promotion been approved by the Vietnamese government?

Answer:

We would like to congratulate Bishop Ngo Quang Kiet on being appointed the Archbishop of Hanoi. This promotion was made in line with the agreement between the Vietnamese government and the Vatican.

END