vietnam APEC 12 03 02

25TH APEC TEL MEETING OPENS IN HA NOI

   Ha Noi, March 11 (VNA) -- Around 350 representatives from 21 APEC member economies are attending the 25th Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Telecommunications and Information Working Group (APEC TEL) that opened in Ha Noi today, March 11.
   This is the first time the Viet Nam General Department of Post and Telecommunications (VNGDPT) has hosted such a meeting.
   Tran Duc Lai, Deputy Secretary General of the VNGDPT and Head of the 25th APEC TEL Organisation Board, said that the 25th APEC TEL Meeting will concentrate on building mechanism and policies to remove barriers that slowdown the development of the Post and Telecommunications and Information industry.
   At the meeting, Viet Nam will officially declare its road map to implement the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) and call for strengthening bilateral cooperation between Viet Nam and other member economies in terms of standard harmonisation.
   On this occasion, the VNGDPT will host workshops and sub-committee meetings and its General Director Mai Liem Truc will hold bilateral working sessions with other APEC TEL delegates.
   Viet Nam has become APEC TEL's member since 1996.
   The APEC TEL meeting is an important forum for administrative agencies and telecommunications and information technology businesses of 21 APEC members to discuss issues such as the development of telecommunications and e-commerce.
   The meeting will conclude on March 15.--VNA