Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’sassumption of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)’s non-permanentmembership for the 2020-2021 tenure and the UNSC’s presidency in January 2020is a valuable opportunity for the country to contribute constructively andresponsibly to the international community’s common affairs.

Such positions will also help to improveVietnam’s position and deepen its relations with other countries and majorpartners, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh wrote in arecent article.

Pointing out the present challenges toglobal peace and security such as prolonged conflicts in Africa, escalatingtensions in the Middle East and potential “hot spots” in some regions,including Asia-Pacific, Minh affirmed that Vietnam will continue persistentlypursuing its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, activeinternational integration, multilateralisation and diversification.

The country will make efforts to promotedialogues, ease tensions and confrontations, and seek fair, suitable solutionsto issues that threaten regional and global peace and security, he said.

At the same time, Vietnam will work topromote respect for international law and the UN Charter, especially basicprinciples on sovereignty equality between countries, as well as respect forindependence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and socio-political regimes, nointerference in each other’s internal affairs, the peaceful settlement ofdisputes, and not using or threatening to use force, Minh said.  

The Deputy PM also stressed Vietnam’sadvocacy of the spirit of “partnership for sustainable peace,” which focuses onconflict prevention, peace building, post-conflict reconstruction andenhancement of multilateralism and multilateral institutions, especially the UNand regional organisations.

As President of the UNSC in January 2020,Vietnam will do its best to fulfill the task of managing the council’soperations and step up the search for solutions to issues raised at thecouncil’s agenda, he said.

Apart from maintaining the objectivity,transparency and respect for the UN Charter as well as the council’sprocedures, the country will reconcile differences of parties and strive tobuild consensus.

Regarding the UNSC’s work programme inJanuary 2020, Minh said Vietnam will preside over more than 30 meetings anddebates, and the council will decide on the operations of peace-keeping andpolitical missions in some countries like Cyprus, Yemen and Libya, amongothers.

There will be two major events focusingon enhancing the observance of the UN Charter and forging cooperation betweenthe UN and UNSC, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), theDeputy PM said.

“With a foreign policy of independenceand self-reliance, the country’s new position, international support,experience in hosting regional and international multilateral mechanisms, carefulpreparations and close, effective coordination between ministries and agenciesat home and abroad, we have adequate foundations to believe that Vietnam willsuccessfully perform the UNSC’s presidency in January 2020, creating momentumfor the country to serve as the council’s non-permanent membership,” Minh stressed./.