Bonn(VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh called forthe adherence to international law and the promotion of multilateralism forpeace and sustainable development in his speech at a session of the G20 ForeignMinisters’ Meeting in Bonn, Germany.

Vietnam was invited to the meeting as it is the APECchair in 2017.

At the February 17 session on the maintenance ofpeace in a complex world, Minh said the world is facing an array of challenges,and how to maintain the peace in a complex world in a major challenge whichrequires the international community to together take actions to overcome.

International law is a crucial factor to ensurea stable international environment, and the respect to and compliance withinternational law is the prerequisite for sustainably keeping peace, hestressed.

Countries should resolve disputes and conflictsby peaceful means and observe international law and legal – diplomaticprocesses, he stressed, describing preventiveness as an effective measure tokeep peace and stability. He called on countries to increase measures ofpreventive diplomacy, including trust building and early conflict prevention.

Meanwhile, a multilateral and comprehensiveapproach which harmonises the interests of all parties is useful formaintaining peace in a complex world. He asked for strengthening internationalcooperation and bringing into play the role of international organisations,especially the United Nations, in addressing global challenges and keepingstability and peace.

Minh requested the G20 members, which are theworld’s biggest economies, to have more concrete and constructive contributionsto global peace and security. The G20 economies should take the lead inassisting developing countries to attain the Sustainable Development Goalsthrough helping them improve the capacity of responding to developmentchallenges, particularly climate change, food security, and water resourcessecurity.

Despite its modest capacity and resources,Vietnam is working hard to contribute to multilateral institutions, includingby participating in the UN’s peace-keeping operations in South Sudan and theCentral African Republic, he noted.

In his address, Minh emphasised the central roleof ASEAN in building the security environment in Southeast Asia. That thegrouping’s decision making is based on solidarity and consensus has provedeffective in dealing with challenges to the regional peace and stability,including territorial and maritime disputes.

He also asked the G20 economies to continuesupporting ASEAN’s central role in the region.

Highlighting Vietnam’s host of APEC events in2017, Minh affirmed his country’s resolve to promote and connect the agenda ofAPEC and the G20, particularly in issues of shared concern such as fosteringsustainable, creative and inclusive growth; cooperation in climate changeprevention; and food security and sustainable agriculture to bolster regionaland global coordination in handling global economic and governance issues.

At the session, participants shared the viewthat ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth and leaving no one and no regionin the world behind is the best way to sustainably maintain peace andstability. They urged all countries to take concrete and responsible actions tocarry out the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They underlined thatglobal and regional cooperation needs to be reinforced while every domestic andinternational resource should be mobilised to realise the SustainableDevelopment Goals.

Also on February 17, Deputy PM and ForeignMinister Minh attended a working lunch on cooperation with Africa. 

Participants in the event said supportingAfrican nations to maintain peace, stability and development is important toconsolidating peace, stability and development around the globe. They alsoaffirmed the G20 members’ pledge to help African countries such as inindustrialisation, education-training, social welfare, and environmentalprotection.-VNA