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Vietnam backs initiatives to promote Middle East peace process: ambassador

April 23, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy , Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has affirmed Vietnam’s strong support for all efforts and initiatives that can help promote the Middle East peace process.

During his speech at a video debate on April 22 of the UN Security Council ( UNSC ) on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine issue, Ambassador Quy urged all parties to take measures to build trust and refrain from unilateral actions that could negatively affect the prospect of negotiations for the process.

Vietnam applauds the progress of preparations for upcoming elections in Palestine, he said, calling on the Israeli Government to facilitate the elections across the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

He also expressed his sharing with the Palestinian people about the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories, especially the complicated developments of COVID-19 pandemic and deteriorating economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, and called on efforts from international donors to help Palestinians fight the health crisis, especially in high-risk areas.

Ambassador Quy reiterated Vietnam’s steadfast stance in favor of a two-state solution, including the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital in line with international law, the UN Charter and relevant resolutions of the UN.

Addressing the event, Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefed participants on preparations for the upcoming elections in Palestine, affirming that the success of the elections will be an important step towards national harmony and promote the peace process with Israel.

He urged the international community to roll out a specific roadmap to promote an end to the Israeli occupation of all Palestinian territories, and to achieve a lasting peace.

The parties should take concrete steps to get back to negotiations, he said, stressing that the UN pledges to assist Israel and Palestine in advancing these efforts.

Participants expressed support for the organisation of the elections in Palestine, and efforts to promote the Middle East peace process , affirming that a two-state solution is the only one for a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine.

They also called for more assistance for UN agencies that are carrying out humanitarian activities in Palestine./.

VNA

Vietnamese PM meets Indonesian President Joko Widodo ahead of ASEAN summit

April 23, 2021 by vietnamnews.vn

Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (left) and Indonesian President Joko Widodo had talks on Friday at the Bogor Presidential Palace in Indonesia. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Friday paid a visit to Indonesian President Joko Widodo as he was visiting the country ahead of the highly-anticipated ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on Saturday.

This was the first foreign trip and first in-person diplomatic meeting with another head of state for the newly-elected Vietnamese Government leader, while Chính was also the first ASEAN head of state to arrive in Indonesia for the summit.

Joko Widodo welcomed and congratulated Chính for having earned the confidence of the National Assembly of Việt Nam to elect him to lead the Government, expressed admiration for Việt Nam’s achievements in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with economic recovery and development efforts.

The Indonesian leader affirmed that Indonesia attaches great importance to relations with Việt Nam and wishes to elevate the traditional friendship and strategic partnership to new heights.

PM Chính commended Indonesia’s efforts in containing the coronavirus outbreaks and expressed his confidence that the country would soon prevail against the challenges and continue socio-economic development in the realisation of the Vision of Indonesia 2045.

The Vietnamese PM shared with President Joko Widodo some highlights of the results of the 13th National Party Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the major orientations of the development plan for the 2021-25 period with a vision towards 2030-45, affirming that Việt Nam continues to pursue a foreign policy of independence, autonomy, multilateralisation and diversification, proactively integrating into the world in a comprehensive and extensive manner. Particularly, Việt Nam attaches great importance to consolidating and expanding cooperative relations with other countries in the region, including Indonesia.

Reflecting on the history of close relations between the two countries, PM Chính and President Widodo emphasised the importance and special meaning of the Việt Nam-Indonesia Strategic Partnership, the foundation of which was laid by the two countries’ respective founders, President Hồ Chí Minh and President Soekarno, and one that has been cultivated robustly by both sides’ leadership and people over the past 65 years.

The two sides noted with pleasure how the bilateral cooperation has been getting more profound, with growing political trust and increasingly effective economic, trade, and investment.

Regarding the orientation for promoting bilateral relations, the two leaders agreed to strengthen exchanges at high-level and at all levels and channels in a flexible manner, effectively implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms and agreements, especially the Strategic Partnership Action Plan for 2019-23 and Joint Vision Statement between the Ministry of National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia on Defence Activities Cooperation towards 2017-22.

Việt Nam and Indonesia pledged to continue to facilitate businesses, promote trade, and soon resume flight routes at an appropriate time; strive to soon bring bilateral trade turnover to US$10 billion with trade balance and recovery and post-pandemic sustainable economic development in mind; and address all problems arising in the spirit of the Strategic Partnership and mutual benefits.

PM Chính and Indonesian President Widodo at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Regarding PM Chính’s request to enable easier access for Vietnamese fruit to the Indonesia market, the Indonesian President said he would direct relevant agencies to review the issue.

The two sides have also shared experience and lessons in combating the pandemic, expressed commitment on further cooperation in healthcare and vaccine production and biopharmaceuticals.

Both leaders affirmed that they attach special importance to the need to soon complete the negotiation on the boundary of the exclusive economic zone between the two countries to create a legal corridor for the two sides to strengthen cooperation and reduce cases of illegal fishing, creating a model for settling differences at sea among nations, contributing to peacekeeping, cooperation and development in the region.

Both sides affirmed that they will continue to cooperate closely and effectively at regional and international forums, especially in ASEAN, APEC and the United Nations; agreed to work together with other ASEAN member states to constantly strengthen solidarity and promote ASEAN’s centrality in regional strategic issues, including the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) issue; closely coordinate in the implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea and negotiations towards an effective and working Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

PM Chính and President Widodo agreed on the special importance of the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta on Saturday, the first ever face-to-face meeting of ASEAN in over a year, as an opportunity for the leaders to exchange development orientations of the ASEAN Community as well as the discussions of emerging international and regional issues that have a direct impact on ASEAN, including the Myanmar crisis, with the aim of stabilising the situation, reducing casualties, resuming dialogues between relevant parties in search of peaceful measures to maintain stability, peace in the region and in the world.

PM Chính has invited Indonesian President to visit Việt Nam at an appropriate time and the latter gladly accepted the invitation. — VNS

The Vietnamese delegation (left) and Indonesian delegation had talks on Friday at the Bogor Presidential Palace in Indonesia. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Thailand sees new daily record of COVID-19 deaths, Singapore probing re-infections

April 22, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Medical workers take samples for COVID-19 testing in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 17. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand reported seven new deaths from COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, the highest number of fatalities in a single day since the start of the pandemic in the country early last year, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on April 22.

It also confirmed 1,470 new COVID-19 cases, taking total infections to 48,113.

In Singapore, authorities are investigating the possibility of COVID-19 re-infections among residents in a migrant workers’ dormitory, after a dozen of positive cases were found there, the Ministry of Manpower said in a statement on April 21.

Hundreds of migrant workers are put under quarantine at government facilities after one worker was detected with COVID-19 on April 20 during routine testing. The worker had received a second vaccination dose and his roommate also test positive.

To date, 10 workers who previously showed a positive serology test result were found to be COVID-19 positive. Serology tests indicate past infection.

Singapore has documented over 60,880 COVID-19 cases, including 30 deaths, since the pandemic started. A majority of the cases were discovered in dormitories that house a large number of low-income foreign workers, triggering lockdowns of the facilities last year./.

VNA

Malaysia uses oil-derived fund to purchase COVID-19 vaccines

April 23, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

A medical worker gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Sungai Buloh town of Malaysia on March 2, 2021 (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Malaysian Government has issued a new emergency ordinance allowing it to use funds derived from oil and gas contributions to pay for vaccine procurement, part of efforts to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination.

The ordinance will enable the government to use the 17.4 billion MYR (4.23 billion USD) under the national trust fund to secure vaccines “for an epidemic of any infection disease”, according to the law published in the federal gazette.

The trust fund, which takes contributions from state energy company Petronas and others involved in petroleum exploitation, was set up to support infrastructure and other development and provide federal loans to Malaysia ‘s states.

In January, King Al-Sultan Abdullah declared a nationwide state of emergency to curb the spread of COVID-19, giving the government more power to enact temporary laws without parliamentary approval.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in March nearly doubled the country’s COVID-19 immunisation budget to 5 billion MYR with a view to helping achieve the government’s target of inoculating 80 percent of the country’s 32 million population by December.

As of April 20, nearly 750,000 people in Malaysia had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease while about 462,000 others are awaiting their second shots.

With nearly 382,000 cases, Malaysia has the third highest number of COVID-19 infections in Southeast Asia, following Indonesia and the Philippines./.

VNA