Hanoi (VNA) - A Vietnamese delegation led by DeputyForeign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung has attended theExecutive Committee of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ)’sconference and the meeting between ASEANforeign ministers and representatives from the ASEAN Inter-governmentalCommission on Human Rights (AICHR).

The two meetings convened in Singapore on August 1 in the framework of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-51) and related meetings.
  
Speaking at the events, Deputy FM Dung, who isalso head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, emphasised that the AICHR should furtherimprove its efficiency, and actively propose and implement practical activitiesto contribute to building a people-centred ASEAN Community and maintaining thegroup’s key role in promoting cooperation activities.

ASEAN should also continue cooperation efforts in the fight against nuclearproliferation, and put the SEANWFZ into force, for the peaceful life of thepeople, as well as for peace, security and stability in the region, he noted.

At the meeting between ASEAN FMs and AICHRrepresentatives, participants heard a report by the AICHR’s representatives andacknowledged positive results that the commission has made in promotingcooperation on regional human rights-related issues, including many practicalactivities to support people with disabilities, prevent human trafficking, andraise public awareness of human rights.

Ministers discussed the AICHR’s activities planned for 2019 and given opinionson the orientation for the commission’s operation in the coming time.

They agreed that the AICHR should continue to abide by ASEAN's guidingprinciples, assure the leading role of ASEAN in regional cooperation on humanrights, strengthen coordination and close linkages with ASEAN’s specialisedchannels, and ensure effective use of resources.

At the SEANWFZ meeting, ASEAN member nations continued to affirm theircommitment to maintaining a nuclear weapon-free Southeast Asian region, while welcomingthe positive progresses made by the bloc last year in engaging in internationaltreaties and conventions on preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons andweapons of mass destruction; and in implementing the SEANWFZ Plan of Action.

Ministers also discussed remaining issues related to the SEANWFZ Treaty, thejoining of countries owning nuclear weapons in the signing of the Treaty’sProtocol, as well as measures to enhance cooperation between ASEAN andinternational partners and organisations on the use of nuclear energy forpeaceful purposes and development.

The AMM-51 will officially kick off onAugust 2 along with the Ministers’ Meeting on Mekong - Langang Cooperation(MLC) and the ASEAN-India ForeignMinisters’ Meeting.-VNA