Vietnam ready to take part in Iraq reconstruction

Within its capacity and if conditions permit, Vietnam is ready to join the collective efforts of the international community to help the Iraqi people rebuild their country, said Ambassador Le Luong Minh, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam.

At a UN Security Council debate on the situation in Iraq in New York on June 13, Ambassador Minh praised the progress that the country has achieved over the past five years under extremely difficult conditions in political and socio-economic fields, its improved relations with neighboring countries and its reintegration into the international community.

While firmly supporting the joint efforts of the Iraqi Government and concerned parties in consolidating peace and security, promoting sustainable development and strengthening national reconciliation, the Vietnamese representative stressed the important role that the United Nations, regional countries and the international community can play to help Iraq in its political process, regional dialogue, economic reconstruction and humanitarian relief work.

“We commend the efforts of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq and encourage it to further assist the Government of Iraq to address key priority issues as mandated by Security Council resolution 1770 (2007),” the ambassador said. He added that Vietnam hoped the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) would continue to enhance its audit and oversight capacity to ensure that all resources from the Development Fund for Iraq are transparently and efficiently disbursed for the best interests of Iraq and its people.

Minh said: “Viet Nam participated in the two conferences on the International Compact with Iraq in Sharm-el-Sheikh and Stockholm in 2007 and 2008. We look forward to continuing to support the work of the Compact in moving the country forward.”

He recommended Iraq to continue resolving urgent matters concerning security, humanities, reconstruction and national reconciliation. Vietnam is desirous to see Iraq to achieve further concrete improvements in ending the outbreak of sectarian violence, resolving disputed internal boundaries, strengthening poverty reduction and social welfare development, reinforcing the rule of law, curbing illicit use of weapons and combating organized crimes, promoting disarmament, demobilizing and reintegrating ex-combatants, clearing a substantial amount of foreign debts, and providing assistance to more than 4 million refugees and internally displaced persons, the ambassador said.

Vietnam deports American pro-democracy activist

Vietnam has deported an American man of Vietnamese origin who was sentenced to six months in jail on terrorism charges for planning to circulate anti-government pamphlets, state media said Sunday.
Nguyen Quoc Quan, a mathematician from Sacramento, Calif., was expelled from Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
Quan was among several people arrested last November in a house in the city. Authorities said they were preparing to circulate anti-government pamphlets on behalf of Viet Tan, a California-based group that Vietnam considers a terrorist organization.
Viet Tan says it promotes nonviolent political change in Communist Vietnam. U.S. Ambassador Michael Michalak has said he has seen no evidence the group is engaged in terrorism.
Also arrested in November were American citizen Truong Van Ba from Hawaii and French journalist Nguyen Thi Thanh Van. Ba, whose American name is Leon Truong, and Van were released in December.
Vietnamese authorities have said Quan entered the country on a forged Cambodian passport. He was sentenced Tuesday, then deported after being given credit for time served while awaiting trial.
Vietnam does not tolerate dissent, which it considers a threat to its one-party rule.