NEW YORK (VNS) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh stressed to the international community that Viet Nam believed that respect for international law was the foundation of peace, security, stability and sustainable development.
Speaking at the General Debate of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Minh said that member states, big or small, rich or poor, must all respect the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
“In that spirit, Viet Nam looks forward to substantive progress in the negotiations for a comprehensive, fair and long-term solution for peace in the Middle East, which ensures the fundamental national rights of the Palestinian people and the legitimate interests of all parties,” he said, adding that Viet Nam was deeply concerned over the escalating violence in Iraq and supported efforts by the Iraqi government and the international community to stabilise the situation.
“Viet Nam strongly condemns all acts of terror under any forms, especially the targeting of civilians. We support all international efforts and initiatives to combat this menace in accordance with international law and the UN Charter,” he said.
Stressing the inseparable relationship between peace and development, Minh urged the UN to focus more actions and resources on addressing social injustices and inequalities and provide stronger support to regional and sub-regional programs on connectivity and poverty reduction, narrowing the development gap and building the green economy.
Minh said that it was Viet Nam’s consistent position to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states and to settle international disputes and conflicts, including the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, by peaceful means, in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Supporting UN work
At the Summit on United Nations Peacekeeping in New York on September 26, Minh confirmed that Viet Nam supported United Nations peacekeeping operations.
He said Viet Nam looked forward to continued co-operation with other countries, the UN and the international community in future endeavours.
“Building on past achievements, future UN peacekeeping operations should focus more on addressing the root causes of conflicts by involving all stakeholders in finding, by peaceful means, long-term comprehensive solutions covering all political, security, economic, and social dimensions. All operations must be guided by the fundamental principles of UN Peacekeeping. Accordingly, the establishment or expansion of missions must be fully in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference,” he said.
The same day, Minh attended the Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, a meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and UN Secretary General and General Assembly Chairman, and a meeting between ASEAN FMs and US Secretary of State John Kerry.
He said ASEAN and the UN should intensify co-operation to safeguard peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the region on the basis of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Meanwhile, he suggested the US take result-oriented measures to narrow development gaps and strengthen connectivity in the ASEAN region to ensure peace, stability, security and development.
He also met bilaterally with the Foreign Ministers of Vanuatu and Russia. – VNS
Đăng ký: VietNam News