[Tlc] L-WTO and economic sundry

[justinm at ucr.edu]

2007-1129 - KPL News

http://www.kpl.net.la/

Laos prepares to joint WTO

(KPL) The ministry of Trade and Industry held recently in
Vientiane a lecture on progress of Laos for World Trade
Organisation membership. Ms. Khemmany Pholsena, Deputy
Minister of Industry and Trade were the lecturer at the function.
According to the lecture, the Lao PDR has applied its
application form for WTO member in mid of 1997, and it then
established the WTO preparation unit in 1998. The MoU on
foreign trade has been submitted in 2001 and the 263 first
questionnaire has been answered by Lao side in 2003.
Lao government has continued to improve the policy on
international economic integration which accordance with 6th
five year plan on social-economic development. It also amended
some regulations to create the good condition for investment
and business operation. Concerning the future work, the Lao
government will present answers and action plan on amended
regulations. It will also prepare to host the 4th task force
meeting in 2008 and other meetings in order to complete the
negotiate process and build the final report.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on 1
January 1995, as a result of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral
Trade Negotiations concluded in 1994. The predecessor of the
WTO is the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
The WTO is the only international body dealing with the rules
of trade among states and separate customs territories. The
WTO agreements provide the legal ground-rules for
international commerce. They are essentially contracts,
binding governments to conduct their trade and trade policies
according to principles and rules. Although negotiated and
signed by governments, the goal is to help producers of goods
and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
The WTO's main objective is to help trade flow smoothly,
freely, fairly and predictably. To this end, the WTO:
? rejects all forms of protectionism
? removes trade barriers and eliminates discriminatory
treatment in international trade through successive
multilateral trade negotiations
? provides a fair, predictable and open rule-based trading
system through overseeing the implementation of multilateral
trade rules and enforcing legally binding obligations
? provides a mechanism for settling trade disputes
? integrates developing and least developed economies into the
world trading system
The WTO currently has 151 members (including Tonga, the latest
acceded Member), accounting for over 90% of world trade.

Vietnam, Laos ink cooperation deal for archives

(KPL) Vietnamese and Laotian archive departments have signed
on November 28 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on
cooperative projects in 2008.
They have agreed to regularly exchange information and
experience in operations and training.
Vietnam has pledged to help Lao build the National Archive
Centre in Vientiane with funding from non-refundable aid of
the Vietnamese government.
The two sides also agreed that they will ask their governments
for permission to cooperate and exchange documents on the
countries’ histories.
The MOU was inked during a delegation from the Lao National
Archive Department, headed by Minister of the Prime Minister’s
Palace Douangsavath Suphanouvong, visit to Viet Nam from
November 25-December 1.
Signatories to the MOU were State Department for Records and
Archive Head Tran Hoang and Lao National Archive Department
Head Oun Kham L. Southivong.
Douangsavath Suphanouvong presented the Lao Government’s
Friendship Medal to Viet Nam ’s Department for Records and
Archive for contributions to the development of the archive
sector in Laos , especially training the Lao cadres.

Sisattanak holds seminar on anti AIDS activities

(KPL) More than 100 people attended a seminar on anti AIDS
activities, which was held on 28 November in Sisattanak
district, Vientiane.
Health workers of Sisattanak district and representatives of
anti AIDS teams were also present at the seminar.
The seminar discussed anti-AIDS activities and AIDS situation
in Laos and the world.
Millions of people world-wide have infected HIV/AIDS mostly
through unsafe sexual practice and injecting drug abuse.
The infection is also found in children, who infect HIV from
their mothers when they are developed as foetus in their
mothers’ wombs and feed on their mothers’ breasts.
The government of Laos’ concern on this problem seems
increasing at present.
Health Service Centre of Sisattanak district says that last
year 148 out of 30,000 people provided health check from the
centre were identified infecting sexual transmitted diseases
this included 138 women.
Coinciding with the seminar was also a drama performance,
which reflected the harmful AIDS and protective behaviours of
humans against HIV/AIDS.

That Luang swamp may convert to new economic zone

(KPL) An abundant bio-diversity of That Luang swamp in the
central Vientiane Capital will be converted into an economic
zone to be built by Chinese investors, after the Government
has basically agreed to authorise a Chinese Company to develop
this area.
A rumour about the permission of That Luang Swamp Development
Project to a Chinese investor develop, is suspected that this
project might have been related to the 25th SEA Games Stadium
Construction Project.
Concerning to this issue, Mr Khiengkham Phoutchanthavongsa,
Project Manager of the 25th SEA Games Stadium Construction
Project said on Tuesday that it is not true. The Government
has approved about 1,000 hectares of That Luang swamp to build
accommodations for 3,000 Chinese people to live in this area.
He also refused a town gossip that, “we have no reason that
the 25 SEA Games Stadium Construction Project would be
exchanged with That Luang Swamp Development Project.”
He said that That Luang Swamp Development Project is a special
priority under a mutual cooperative framework between the
Government and Chinese Development Bank.
“Now the Government has basically made a decision to approve
at least 1,000 ha of That Luang swamp to Chinese investors
develop as state-of-the art building and trade centre in
Vientiane Capital,” he added.
The swamp will be converted into real estate, which they will
build a light industrial area, finance institute, housing
project and economic institute.
Currently Lao officials concerned in collaboration with
Chinese officials is conducting a feasibility study for the
construction and compensation people living nearby.

Fuel price adjusted four time in 2007

(KPL) The price of the petroleum products has been so far
adjusted as the fourth time in 2007.
The latest price of gasoline and diesel in Vientiane is now
9,840 kip/litre for regular gasoline and 8,750kip/litre for
regular diesel.
The reason of the increased price was from the high demand of
petroleum products from China and India and the cool weather
in European and American countries. In addition, the fire
accident at the
crude oil drill area in the north sea has effected to the
declining of petroleum production and the weak value of US
dollar was also the main reason of the petroleum high price.
The high demand of petroleum products will increase the price
of fuel, which effected to every country, especially Laos who
imported petroleum products and spend a lot of foreign
currency to buy the petroleum product for local consumption.
Concerning this problem, the petroleum and gas group has
closely worked to monitor the fuel price situation and
co-ordinated with organization concern to find the way to
address this problem.

Champassak doubles export, raking 470 billion kip

(KPL) Champassak said this week its last year’s export was
increased by 96 per cent with the amount of almost 470 billion
kip (47 million US dollars.
The income from export is 74.20% over its annual plan and
96.34% over the figure in 2005-2006 fiscal year.
Champassak said that the main reason for the increase of
export was the significant production of its main product
coffee, which raked in over 300 billion kip (31 million US
dollars) from 20,930 tonnes of export.
Wood processed products ranked the second largest foreign
currency earner of the province last year, which earned over
70 billion kip (7 million US dollars) of income to the province.
The province reports that its contract farming project to
promote the agricultural production of farmers reached over 60
billion kip (US$ 6 million.
Champassak also earned 14 billion kip from footwear export and
almost 9 billion kip (874,320) from the export of various goods.
Mr Saythong Sayavong, Director of Champassak Industry and
Commerce Service, said that the production of farmers under
contract farming project, which has markets needing larger
amount of the produce in Asia, Europe, America, China, Japan
and Australia.
Thailand is by far biggest market to Champassak, which
imported over 180 billion kip of various kind of goods from
the province, followed by Poland 70 billion kip and America
60.6 billion kip.
These countries consume 39.62%, 15.14% and 14.20% of
Champassak total export respectively annually.

Germany is providing free operation for Lao harelip persons

(KPL) The Interplast of the Federation of Germany is providing
a free operation for Lao harelip patients, at the Sisattanak
hospital’s district, Vientiane Capital, run till to 8 December.
Dr Viengxay Manyvong, a senior of Vientiane Public Health
Division disclosed that the 60 harelip persons have been operated.
The project has operated 85 harelip persons in Laos since
2006. The project has also provided a free operation for
harelip persons in the Asian countries such as Vietnam,
Myanmar and Cambodia.
Next year the project will fly back to help Lao people again.

Attention! National Holiday

(KPL) On the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the National
Day, Editorial Board of KPL News would like to inform readers
and subscribers that the KPL Daily Newspaper will publish on 4
December, Tuesday.
This is according to the Prime Minister’s Office notice No.
136/PMO dated 26 November, 2007. Monday, 3 December will be an
official holiday.
On this occasion, on behalf of the KPL news editorial board
would like to wish all readers, subscribers and state leaders
a good health and long live.

ADB inspects the funded projects

(KPL) Asia Development Bank’s delegation conducted an
inspection of ADB-funded projects in Laos on 28 November.
The delegation comprising of delegates from 41 ADB’s funding
countries visited a road construction site in Ban Phapho,
Sisattanak district, Vientiane; an irrigation system in
Veunkham, Vientiane and Nam Ngeum power plant in Vientiane
province.
Mr Ketkeo Sihalat, Deputy Chairman of the Vientiane Urban
Development and Administration Authority, reported the
progress of the construction of the road and the irrigation
system.
The road construction in Ban Phapho is among roads constructed
and to be constructed in 50 villages across Vientiane under
the co-operation between ADB, the Lao government and residents
in the target villages. So far the construction has achieved
28 per cent of its entire work.
According to VUDAA, Asian Development Bank will provide
assistance to the improvement of roads in other 139 villages,
a drainage construction project and the installation of
streetlights along roads as well as the construction of public
parks and a landfill for disposing the wastes.

Annual nationwide meeting on justice held

(KPL) The Ministry of Justice organised an annual meeting to
review lessons on materialising its resolution on 27 November,
in Vientiane.
The meeting was chaired by Dr Chalern Yearpaoher, Minister of
Justice, and attended by Deputy Ministers, Heads, Deputy Heads
of Department, senior officials and representatives from
provinces and Vientiane Capital totaling 100 participants.
Mr Kisin Sinphanngam, Deputy Minister of Justice reported and
valued the materialisation of justice resolution nationwide
and 2008-direction.
Dr Chalern has contributed his point of views in the meeting
who has also presented next plan of his ministry.
The meeting will run for two days and senior officials who
contributed to the justice affairs over the past 30 years
would be praised at the meeting.
__._,_.___

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu