The ambassadors of ASEAN countries to Australia pose for a photo at the ceremony in Canberra on August 13 (Photo: VNA) Canberra (VNA) – The Committee of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Canberra held a ceremony in the Australian capital city on August 13 to celebrate the bloc’s 52nd founding anniversary (August 8). The event saw the presence of Governor-General of Australia David Hurley and his spouse, ambassadors and diplomats of ASEAN countries, along with many senior officials of the Australian parliament and government. Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam and members of Vietnam’s representative agencies in Australia also attended the celebration. In his speech, Myanmar Ambassador Tha Aung Nyun, who is also holding the rotational chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Canberra, said after 52 years, ASEAN has become a politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible community that is oriented towards and centres on … [Read more...] about Ceremony marks 52nd anniversary of ASEAN in Australia
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Australia’s Queensland state legalises abortion
Activists in favour of the legalisation of abortion march for the first time since the rejection of the abortion bill by the Argentine Senate, during the Day of Global Action for Legal, Safe and Free abortion in Buenos Aires, on September 28, 2018. — AFP/VNA Photo Viet Nam News SYDNEY — Queensland lawmakers have voted to legalise abortion, overturning a century-old "morality" law and capping a 50-year campaign in Australia’s most conservative state. The state parliament approved 50-41 late Wednesday the law allowing women to terminate pregnancies at up to 22 weeks, and later with the approval of two doctors. The legislation also creates 150-metre "safe access" zones around clinics offering abortions where protests are banned, and it requires doctors who refuse to perform abortions to refer women elsewhere. Pro-choice campaigners had been seeking since the 1970s to overturn an 1899 criminal code adopted from British law that criminalised abortion as an … [Read more...] about Australia’s Queensland state legalises abortion
Australia says trade agreement with Indonesia on track despite Israel comments
Australia says trade agreement with Indonesia on track despite Israel commentsThe Saigon Times Daily Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, October 16, 2018 – PHOTO: REUTERS SYDNEY (REUTERS) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday a billion-dollar free trade agreement with Indonesia will be signed this year, despite Indonesian concern over an Australian proposal to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Morrison said on Tuesday he was open to Australia moving its mission from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as the United States did in May to the delight of Israel but to the fury of Palestinians. Morrison's willingness to reverse decades of foreign policy and follow the U.S. lead alienated many of Australia's Asian neighbors that have close alliances with Palestinians. It also drew condemnation from 13 Arab ambassadors in Australia who called the suggestion regrettable and … [Read more...] about Australia says trade agreement with Indonesia on track despite Israel comments
Vietnam-Australia dialogue on foreign affairs and defence
The Vietnamese side was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and the Australian side was headed by Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Richard Maude and Acting Deputy Secretary for Strategic Policy and Intelligence Tom Hamilton. At the dialogue, the two sides noted with satisfaction the vigorous growth of bilateral ties after their ties were upgraded to the level of strategic partnership in March 2018 and reiterated the important role and position of each side in the other’s foreign policy. With regard to the outcomes of these visits and the joint action programme for 2016-2019, the two sides drew up major directions to make their strategic partnership more pragmatic, effective, and comprehensive, especially in politics, security-defence, economics, trade, investment, and science-technology. The duo discussed regional and global strategic issues of shared concern and underlined the need to prioritize joint projects on people-to-people exchange, … [Read more...] about Vietnam-Australia dialogue on foreign affairs and defence
Vietnam, Australia hold strategic dialogue on foreign affairs and defence
Vietnam and Australia hold the sixth deputy ministerial-level strategic dialogue on foreign affairs and defence in Hanoi on October 10. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The sixth deputy ministerial-level strategic dialogue on foreign affairs and defence between Vietnam and Australia took place in Hanoi on October 10, chalking out plans to boost the bilateral strategic partnership. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and the Australian side was headed by Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Richard Maude and Acting Deputy Secretary for Strategic Policy and Intelligence Tom Hamilton. The event was also attended by Major General Dang Quang Minh, Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence. At the dialogue, both sides noted with pleasure the strong development of bilateral relations after the two countries lifted the ties to the level of strategic partnership in March … [Read more...] about Vietnam, Australia hold strategic dialogue on foreign affairs and defence