Vietnam announces wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle
HANOI - Vietnam announced Thursday an extensive Cabinet reshuffle, with
experienced technocrats chosen to head the powerful ministries of public
security, justice, trade, and planning and investment.
About two-thirds of the positions in the 30-member Cabinet changed.
However,
no major policy shifts were expected since the ruling Communist Party,
not
the government, sets major policies and arranged the reshuffle at a
party
conference last month.
The unopposed slate was rubber-stamped by the National Assembly on
Wednesday, an assembly official said.
Top posts in the Cabinet were unchanged. Both Prime Minister Phan Van
Khai
and President Tran Duc Luong were reappointed to second five-year terms
two
weeks ago.
"The government has opted for stability and continuity of current
policies,"
said the assembly official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The party's focus on stability comes amid a corruption scandal in which
dozens of party, police and government officials have been accused of
receiving protection money from an underworld gang.
Le Hong Anh, chief of the party's internal Control Commission, was
picked to
replace ailing Le Minh Huong as minister of public security. The
powerful
security ministry has been a chief target of the corruption allegations.
Earlier this week, the assembly approved the creation of three new
ministries aimed at reducing overlapping Cabinet responsibilities.
Critics,
however, say the new ministries could complicate Hanoi's lumbering
government apparatus and impede reforms.
Prime Minister Khai said the new Cabinet would devote itself to
achieving
fast and sustainable economic development, reducing poverty, improving
government transparency and fighting corruption.
Five former Cabinet ministers will be replaced by their deputies, three
by
officials in related fields, and one, Trade Minister Vu Khoan, by his
predecessor, Truong Dinh Tuyen.
The return of Tuyen, a trader by profession, will ensure the liberal
trading
policies promised by Vu Khoan will continue, according to Professor Carl
Thayer, a Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy.
The reshuffle saw the number of deputy prime ministers shrink from four
to
three. Khoan, who as trade minister pushed through a landmark trade
agreement with the United States and a land border deal with China, was
promoted to deputy prime minister in charge of foreign policy and trade.
Uong Chu Luu was chosen justice minister, while Vo Hong Phuc became
minister
of planning and investment. Both were former deputies in their
ministries.
Nguyen Dy Nien, a career diplomat, was retained as foreign minister.
Although they overwhelmingly approved the party's unopposed slate, many
assembly members questioned the advanced ages and professional
capabilities
of some of the Cabinet appointees, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper
reported.
The average age of the new Cabinet is 56. The previous Cabinet's average
was
57 when it was selected.
Responding to these concerns Wednesday, Prime Minister Khai said he
would
like to see younger Cabinet members, but that it takes time before
younger
people are able to replace older ones.
The Associated Press - August 8, 2002
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