Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung came out of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly held in New York with a high optimism of a seat at the UN Security Council.

Many countries have raised support for and expressed belief in Viet Nam’s capacity to discharge the mission of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, the Government leader told the Viet Nam News Agency in an exclusive interview, after his trip to the US from Sept. 24-28 to attend the high-level general debate of the 62nd UN General Assembly.

The Prime Minister explained that the general debate took place amid numerous challenges to the world still ahead, namely regional conflicts, proliferation threats of mass-destructive weapons, terrorism, poverty, epidemics, environmental pollution and climate change. These challenges have been increasingly globalised, thus no country can solve them individually.

As a UN member, Viet Nam has over the past 30 years actively contributed to the common cause of peace, stability, cooperation and development the world over. In particular, the session is expected to vote on Viet Nam’s candidancy for a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term. If elected, Viet Nam will have opportunities to work within the council to settle conflicts, ensure sovereignty and independence of nations, speed up programmes for development and solve social problems on the global scale. The position will also enable Viet Nam to work for equality in political relations and international economy in the mutual interest among nations.

The Prime Minister went on to talk about the outcome of the high-level general debate and his bilateral meetings while he was attending the 62nd General Assembly session.

He said leaders of nations pointed to the need for members to reach consensus and take concerted efforts to solve burning global issues and challenges.

At the general debate on Sept. 27, the Vietnamese head delegate delivered a speech that appreciated the UN’s role and mentioned members’ common desires for UN priorities and orientations in the years to come. The speech also highlighted great efforts and positive contributions made by Viet Nam to the UN work and confirmed that Viet Nam is competent to undertake the responsibilities of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

“While attending the 62nd General Assembly session, other delegates and I held a number of high-level meetings, with the UN Secretary General, leaders of several countries which are either permanent or non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, and countries with important roles and positions in regions,” said PM Dung.

He added that during these meetings, the leaders of nations and international organisations all spoke highly of Viet Nam’s past heroic struggle for national independence as well as its current national construction and development.

They emphasised their stand of further developing relations with Viet Nam and supporting Viet Nam to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Shortly put, at this debate, the Vietnamese delegation conveyed to the international community a clear message that “Viet Nam is active, constructive, cooperative and responsible in the interna tional life.”

In regard to the prospect of Viet Nam’s election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, PM Dung said “To become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council is a great honor. At the same time, the position will also pose high demands for candidate countries which have to win votes of at least two-thirds of the UN membership or 128 countries.”

Immediately after deciding to apply for the position in 1997, Viet Nam has actively lobbied other countries at all levels, including the highest level, for the seat, launching presentations on the country’s capacity to contribute to the UN work as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

In 2002, Viet Nam won overwhelming support from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In October, 2006, the Asian group at the UN voted Viet Nam as the group’s only candidate for the position. Since then, Viet Nam has always assured friends of its strong commitments to maintaining peace and international security as well as its practical contributions to the cause in Southeast Asia and other UN operations.

“The UN General Assembly will not conduct the vote on five non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, including Viet Nam, until October 16, but through contacts with leaders of nations, we have already received strong support and belief in the country’s capacity to discharge the mission of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council,” said the PM.

“I strongly believe that Viet Nam, in a new position as a result of great achievements in both domestic and external affairs over the past 20 years, will be able to fulfil our responsibilities and meet the expectations of the international community,” concluded the Government leader.--Enditem

VNA