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France offers to strengthen legal system (05-03-2005) HA NOI — France is willing to continue helping Viet Nam strengthen its legal system and attain a worthy position regionally and internationally, without undercutting Viet Nam’s ideology or national identity, said a senior French official. Nicole Guedj, Secretary for the Rights of Victims under the French Minister of Justice, told reporters on Thursday that legal cooperation between the two countries will be geared to particular areas such as commerce and legal procedure in an effort to keep pace with national economic development. Guedj, who doubles as co-president of the Orientation Committee of the Viet Nam – France Legal Home, recently arrived in Viet Nam to attend the committee’s 12th working session, which was held this week to discuss legal cooperation between the two countries. She said the new focus of bilateral cooperation is follow-up on the progress made in France’s assistance to Viet Nam in such … [Read more...] about France offers to strengthen legal system

Lawyers have to boost legal system: President (05-04-2005) HA NOI — President Tran Duc Luong yesterday called on Vietnamese lawyers to raise their level of responsibility to develop laws and improve legal knowledge to contribute to the building of a law-governed socialist state, strengthening the legal system and social order, and protecting justice. Luong made his statement at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Viet Nam Lawyers Association. Luong also asked that the association play a greater role in providing legal counsel and settling disputes at the grass roots level. Luong supported a proposal by the association to create a mechanism where they can become more involved in providing support for the creation of laws. The President also asked the lawyers to conduct research complicated domestic and international legal issues. They should collaborate closely with the country’s judicial system, the Fatherland Front and related units to advise the … [Read more...] about Lawyers have to boost legal system: President

Civil Code provides key to legal system (14-04-2005) HA NOI — The amended Civil Code should influence and correspond with other laws as a guiding legal document, President Tran Duc Luong said yesterday at a meeting of the Steering Committee for Legal Reform. In his address to the meeting, the President said the Civil Code is an important law with a wide scope for adjustments. As the Code directly influences the people’s daily lives and businesses, it is a common law that should have a uniformed connection with other specialised laws and should regulate relationships such as civil transactions, commerce, marriage, family matters and labour. As such, the law should contain a common set of ideologies and principles to which other laws must conform. If contradictions are found between the Civil Code and other laws, new amendments must favour the amended Civil Code, Luong stressed. Yesterday, land-use and land-use transfer rights were among the most discussed topics … [Read more...] about Civil Code provides key to legal system

National Assembly considers making sex changes legal (13-05-2005) HA NOI — National Assembly debates on whether to make sex changes legal are giving hope to many Vietnamese transsexuals whose new identities remain officially unrecognised. Article 36 of the draft Civil Code revision states that anyone born with a gender disorder or incorrect anatomical sex is entitled to have his or her gender reassigned through medical treatment. An authorised medical committee must evaluate the reassignment, and the process must be carried out in accordance with the law. Even though this sensitive issue for Vietnamese is being debated for the first time by lawmakers, many Vietnamese have already undergone sex-change operations in Viet Nam and Thailand over the past few years. Nguyen Thai Tai, a popular make-up professional in HCM City, spent more than US$30,000 two years ago on a sex-change operation and cosmetic surgery to transform from a man into a woman. Tai, who talks … [Read more...] about National Assembly considers making sex changes legal

Government in Action (27-06-2005) Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has: Fund set up to develop legal system ...made a decision with regards to an assistance fund to support the development of Viet Nam’s legal system by 2010. A goal of the fund is to raise capital sources from donors in an effort to implement development strategies for the country’s legal system. It also aims to provide financial support for designated legal projects and issues involved in these strategies by 2010. The issues include management, collaboration and assessment of the implementation of the strategies, reforms and new legislative documents and projects designed to improve the professional qualifications of staff who work in authorised law firms. The Ministry of Justice has been called on to approve the contents of the issues and projects after consulting with donors. In some cases, the Minister of Justice will have to report to the Prime Minister before issues can be approved. … [Read more...] about Fund set up to develop legal system

Viet Nam an enormous potential market, PM reminds US business (25-06-2005) Prime Minister Phan Van Khai speaks at US business forum in New York. — VNA/VNS Photo The Thuan NEW YORK — Viet Nam should not be viewed through the lenses of the past, but as a friendly partner of American businesses at present and in the future, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said at a business forum in New York on Thursday. The forum was jointly organised by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the US Chamber of Commerce. The country’s relationship with the US is reflected in the joint declaration, which affirmed developing friendly relations as constructive partners, and long-term, stable and multifaceted co-operation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, made by Prime Minister Khai and President Bush. Viet Nam wanted American entrepreneurs, who have helped America prosper, to be the driving force for creating a long-term, active … [Read more...] about Viet Nam an enormous potential market, PM reminds US business