U.S., Vietnam hopeful on trade
The Bush administration expressed optimism Monday that a recently completed trade agreement with Vietnam can be signed by early June and supporting legislation can win congressional approval this summer.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Karan Bhatia said the target date was for both countries to sign the agreement in early June in Ho Chi Minh City at the same time that Vietnam is serving as host for a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The APEC meeting is scheduled for June 1-2.
Bhatia said both countries were working to translate the “agreement in principle” that was announced earlier this month into a completed deal.
Negotiators from both countries reached a tentative deal on May 14 on the trade barriers to U.S. products that Vietnam would remove as part of the requirements it must meet to join the 149-nation World Trade Organization.
GENEVA
Brain clot kills U.N. health chief
Dr. Lee Jong-wook, who led the U.N. health agency’s battles against SARS and bird flu, died Monday following surgery for a blood clot in the brain. He was 61.
Tributes praised Lee for his effectiveness in spurring the world to build its defenses against a potentially deadly flu pandemic during his tenure as director-general of the World Health Organization.
“”The world has lost a great man today,” said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. “He tackled the most difficult problems head on, while upholding the highest principles.”
Anders Nordstrom of Sweden will take over as WHO’s acting director-general.
Lee is survived by his wife and a son.
UNITED NATIONS
Annan criticizes Sudan government
Sudan’s government is violating international humanitarian law by barring fuel, food and relief aid to civilians in Darfur, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday.
The report to the U.N. Security Council described in frank terms how the people of Darfur have been exposed to more violence in recent months, even as aid groups are cutting the programs because of insufficient funding.
“Civilians in Darfur continued to suffer the consequences of persistent violence and insecurity,” Annan said in the report, which was sent to the Security Council and was to be made public in the coming days.
The report covered March and April but made clear that a May 5 peace deal signed between Sudan’s government and a main rebel faction has done little to bring solace to civilians in Darfur, where fighting has killed nearly 200,000 people and displaced 2.5 million since 2003.