DECREE No. 66/1998/ND-CP OF AUGUST 24, 1998 ON THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY

THE GOVERNMENT

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government of September 30, 1992;

At the proposal of the General Director of Vietnam News Agency and the Minister-Head of the Government Commission on Organization and Personnel.

DECREES:

Article 1.- Vietnam News Agency is an agency attached to the Government performing the function of the State news agency in the publication of news and official documents of the Party and the State, in the supply of information in service of the leadership and management requirements of the Party and the State; gathers and disseminates information through appropriate genres of press in service of audiences that need it in the country and abroad according to provisions of law.

Article 2.- Vietnam News Agency has the following specific tasks and powers:

1. To publish news and official documents of the Party and the State; to gather and edit news, photographs, documents and classified documents in timely service of the leadership and management requirements of the Party and the State, and in service of research agencies and press guidance agencies;

2. To collect, edit and disseminate information (news, articles, files, documents, books, static pictures, moving pictures) through appropriate forms in service of all audiences that need them in the country and abroad according to the provisions of the Press Law and the Publication Law;

3. When assigned by the Prime Minister, the General Director of Vietnam News Agency is authorized to announce the official viewpoints of our Party and State on current affairs, re-orient unsuitable information, deny erroneous information and reject information with intent of distortion;

4. To coordinate with the Ministry of Culture and Information in managing the sources of press information of foreign news agencies circulating on the Vietnamese territory according to provisions of law;

5. To perform the function of the data bank and national information documentation and manage the national photographic files;

6. To coordinate with the related ministries and branches in performing the common task about information and related tasks in service of defense and security to defend the Fatherland;

7. To carry out scientific research on news agency work, information technology, technical and professional training and fostering for cadres and public employees in the service;

8. To build and manage the system of material and technical information bases, step by step renovate techniques to make it compatible with the development of international information technique;

9. To cooperate with other countries and with international and regional organizations in the domains for which Vietnam News Agency is responsible as provided for by the Government;

10. To manage the organization, cadres, personnel, wages, finance and the material and equipment of the service according to the regime and policies of the State;

11. To carry out inspection and control over attached units.

Article 3.- Vietnam News Agency has a General Director and a number of Deputy General Directors to assist the General Director. The General Director and Deputy General Directors of Vietnam News Agency are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister.

Article 4.- The organizational structure of Vietnam News Agency comprises:

1. The Administration Office.

2. The Editorial Secretariat.

3. The Organization - Personnel Department.

4. The Financial Planning Department.

5. The Inspectoral Department.

6. The Domestic News Department.

7. The Foreign News Service Department.

8. The World News Department.

9. The Press Photo Editing and Production Department.

10. The Economic News Department.

11. The Vietnam Pictorial Magazine.

12. The Database - Documentation Center.

13. The News Agency Technical Center.

14. The News Agency International Cooperation Center.

15. The News Agency Professional Fostering Center.

16. The Representative Offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang city.

17. VNA Bureaus in the country and abroad.

18. Newspapers editorial boards, publishing and distribution establishments and other units operating according to financial accounting modalities set up under the provisions of law.

The General Director of Vietnam News Agency shall provide for the functions, tasks, powers and the organization of the apparatus of the above organizations; decide to set up or annul domestic bureaus after obtaining the consent of the Minister Head of the Government Commission on Organization and Personnel.

Article 5.- This Decree takes effect 15 days after its signing. To annul Decree No.112-HDBT of April 2, 1992 of the Council of Ministers (now the Government) on the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Vietnam News Agency and other earlier regulations which are contrary to this Decree.

Article 6.- The General Director of Vietnam News Agency, the Ministers, the Heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the Heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the Presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to implement this Decree.

On behalf of the Government

Prime Minister

PHAN VAN KHAI