Hanoi (VNA) –Countries participating in a plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly’s 75thsession on December 8 highlighted the importance of the 1982 UN Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the international legal framework regulating allactivities in the seas and oceans.

At the event, held at the UN headquarters in NewYork, representatives of UN member states highlighted the universal,consistent, and comprehensive values of the 1982 UNCLOS while pointing out theCOVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on the UN and agencies’ activities related tooceans and the law of the sea as well as on fundamental rights of seafarers.

They affirmed the commitment to promotenegotiations on legally binding documents on biodiversity of areas beyondnational jurisdiction and legal implications of the sea-level rise, and toboost the development of the marine economy and the conservation of marineresources so as to contribute to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development.

Particularly, the US, the UK, Germany, Japan,and Australia publicly mentioned disputes in the East Sea, voicing theirconcerns over legal claims in the waters.

They emphasised that the establishment ofhistoric rights claims and historic claims on marine resources, thespecification of straight archipelagic baselines, and the regime of islandsmust be in conformity with the UNCLOS.

They also underlined the need to ensure thefreedom of navigation in the East Sea and the obligation to peacefully resolveinternational disputes in line with the UNCLOS.

Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Dang DinhQuy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN, affirmed that Vietnamattaches importance to the convention’s universal, consistent, andcomprehensive values.

The country appreciates contributions by theagencies set up under the UNCLOS to promoting a legal order for the seas andoceans, he said, noting that it also supports the UN General Assembly to createconditions for members of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelfto work online with guaranteed security.

Vietnam also welcomes the second world oceanassessment report, which states that countries must perform all the obligationsrelevant to marine environment protection in accordance with the UNCLOS.

Regarding the East Sea situation, Quy reiteratedVietnam’s consistent stance that all disputes must be settled by peaceful meanson the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, with respect fordiplomatic and legal processes and without using force or threatening to useforce.

He expressed concern about some recent incidentsin the East Sea which have seriously infringed Vietnam’s sovereign rights andjurisdiction.

The ambassador called on related parties toexercise self-restraint while not carrying out militarisation or conductingactivities that complicate the situation, escalate disputes, affect the safetyand security of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, or jeopardise peaceand stability in the region.

All parties must fully implement the Declarationon the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and soon finalise a substantive andefficient code of conduct that is in line with the UNCLOS, Quy added.

Concluding the meeting, the 75th session of theUN General Assembly adopted an annual resolution on sustainable fisheries.Meanwhile, a resolution on oceans and the law of the sea will be consideredlater./.