Laws of Vietnam

DECIDES:

Article 1.- The Vietnam Mekong River Committee is headed by an official of ministerial rank to assist the Prime Minister in the direction and management of all activities in cooperation with the International Mekong Committee. It shall submit to the Government the policies on Mekong cooperation aimed at developing, utilizing and protecting well the water resources and other resources related to the whole Mekong basin as well in general, and the Mekong River delta and the Central Highlands within the Mekong river basin in particular.

The Vietnam Mekong River Committee shall have its own seal marked with the Vietnam emblem.

The Office of the Committee is located at No.23 Hang Tre, Hanoi City, and has a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City.

Article 2.- The Vietnam Mekong River Committee has the following tasks and powers:

1. To cooperate with the other member countries in order to concretize and organize the implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation for Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin.

2. To monitor, supervise and manage the water resources and other related resources in the Mekong River basin; to protect the interests of Vietnam through a master plan and various cooperation projects concerning the whole of the Mekong basin, especially those projects on the main stream of the river.

3. In cooperation with the nations lying in the Mekong basin and the countries, the non-governmental organizations and international organizations, the ministries, ministerial level agencies and the agencies attached to the Government and the People's Committees in the concerned localities shall submit projects of cooperation on the Mekong River aimed at protecting and developing the Mekong River delta and the Central Highlands.

4. Together with the other member countries and the Secretariat of the Mekong River Committee to work out the regulations for the management and realization of the international Mekong projects.

5. To join the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and the specialized ministries in the allocation of the balance capital in the country for the Vietnam Mekong projects and the Mekong projects in the whole basin with the participation of Vietnam. It is entitled to join the evaluation of the planning and the related projects within the Mekong basin worked out by the different services and provinces in the Mekong River Delta and the Central Highlands.

6. To take part in the meetings of the Vietnam Mekong River Committee and report the results of these meetings to the Prime Minister.

7. To be entitled to ask the different services and localities to report on the results of the meetings of the Sub-region composed of six countries in the Mekong River basin related to the work of the Committee. To take part in the work of the Sub-region when assigned by the Prime Minister.

Article 3.- The Vietnam Mekong River Committee is composed of:

- The Chairman who is the Minister in charge of the Vietnam Mekong River Committee.

- The Vice-Chairmen who work on a part time basis:

A Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs,

A Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

A Vice-Minister of Planning and Investment.

- Other part-time members are the competent representatives of the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Aquaculture, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, the Head of Office of the Vietnam Mekong River Committee, and the representatives of the People's Committees of a number of provinces in the Mekong River basin.

The Prime Minister shall appoint the Chairman and the Vice-Chairmen at the proposal of the Ministers-Chairman of the Government Commission on Organization and Personnel.

The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the heads of the controlling agencies and the People's Committees and approved by the Chairman of the Mekong Committee.

Article 4.- The Vietnam Mekong River Committee shall have a Permanent Office.

The Office shall have a Head of Office, a number of Deputy Heads appointed and dismissed by the Chairman of the Vietnam Mekong River Committee. The Office has its own staff and its own fund allocated by the State Budget and has its accounts at the State Treasury.

The Chairman of the Mekong Committee shall have to issue concrete working regulations of the Vietnam Mekong Committee.

Article 5.- This Decision takes effect on the date of its issue. The earlier regulations contrary to this Decision are now annulled.

Article 6.- The Minister-Chairman of the Vietnam Mekong River Committee, the other Ministers, the Heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the Heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the Presidents of the People's Committees in the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to implement this Decision.

The Prime Minister