Viet Nam wishes for a peaceful solutioin to Iraq issue

Ha Noi, Jan. 30 (VNA) -- Viet Nam has expressed its wish for a peaceful solution to the Iraq issue.

"We hope for the Iraq crisis to be solved in a peaceful manner on the basis of respecting Iraq's independence and territorial integrity and conforming with the UN Charter and international law," said spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Phan Thuy Thanh in Ha Noi on Thursday.

She was responding to an AFP correspondent's querry about Viet Nam's reaction to President George Bush's State of the Union address on Tuesday which said that the world didn't need to wait any longer for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's to disarm.

"The most important thing to do now is to prevent war, maintain peace and stability in the region and the world," stressed the spokeswoman.
On the cooperation between Iraq and the UN, Thanh said available information showed that Iraq has cooperated with the United Nations in accordance with Resolution No. 1441. "We think that the cooperation among relevant parties in the peaceful settlement process of the Iraq issue should be encouraged and increased," she added.

The UN weapons inspectors should have more time to complete their monitoring mission, she noted.