Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung acknowledges some positive results in socio-economic development, but calls for more aggressive and uniform measures to rein in inflation and stabilize the economy. Mr. Dung made the remarks at a meeting between Cabinet members and provincial and municipal leaders, which closed on Friday in Hanoi. The meeting discussed ways to implement the National Assembly resolution on 2012 tasks for socio-economic development and the State budget. PM Nguyen Tan Dung said: “Key socio-economic tasks for 2012 will focus on controlling inflation at 9 percent and stabilizing the macro-economy. Monetary policies should help reduce inflation. Local leaders are required to manage prices and prevent speculation during the traditional lunar new year”

The Prime Minister said measures should be in place to keep  state budget overspending at below 4.8%, control import deficit, stabilize the exchange rates  and gradually reduce interest rates to boost production and maintain a GDP growth rate of 6% next year.  He also stressed on measures to help policy beneficiaries, ethnic minority people and the poor enjoy a happy New Year.