A conference room of the UN Security Council.

Vietnam will take over the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for one month, beginning on July 1, 2008.

In July, Vietnam will manage the UNSC’s activities such as working out a working agenda, presiding over the UNSC meetings and representing the UNSC in its relationship with other members of the UN, international and regional organisations and international press.

In particular, Vietnam will chair and co-ordinate with other UNSC members to prepare the council’s yearly report on its activities based on 60 headings of the current agenda to be presented to the UN General Assembly.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem is scheduled to head a Vietnamese delegation to attend a number of the UNSC’s important activities and preside over a high-level open debate in line with the council’s July agenda. (VNA)

Vietnam makes worthy contributions to UNSC’s work

Since Vietnam undertook the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, the country has made objective and substantial contribution to the council’s noble mission.

According to Ambassador Le Luong Minh, Vietnamese Representative to the UN and the UNSC, even though Vietnam is a new member, it raised its voice on all matters under debate, including sensitive matters.

On the Middle East issue, Vietnam is persistent in its the stand to support the Palestinian people’s just struggle to set up an independent State. It condemns terrorist and extreme acts and attacks against innocent people.

Regarding the situation in Kosovo, Vietnam pursues the stance of supporting sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. The country does not accept Kosovo’s declaration of independence, while rejecting acts of violence and extremity.

As for the Iran matter, Vietnam has actively taken part in the negotiation process with the aim of supporting efforts for non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament as well as the interests and legal rights of countries, including Iran, regarding the development, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purpose, as well as nations’ legitimate rights to conduct normal trade and navigation activities.

Concerning Myanmar, while supporting the UN Secretary General’s intermediary role, Vietnam is persistent in the viewpoint that a comprehensive approach is needed which should consider poverty and underdevelopment one of root causes of the issue. Vietnam also holds that the UN should help Myanmar develop and through which reduce social conflicts and create opportunities for Myanmar to successfully implement the seven-point democratic roadmap, towards national conciliation.

Being aware of the role as a representative of all UN member countries, especially Asian countries which gave their votes to Vietnam ’s UNSC membership, Vietnam has regularly exchanged information and consulted with non UNSC member countries, particularly those relating to matters on discussion at the UNSC. In this way, Vietnam has gained knowledge about these countries’ concerns and legitimate security interests, as well as the international community’s worries so that it can put forth appropriate proposals.

Last March, Vietnam in its capacity as Coordinator of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries in the UNSC, actively coordinated common positions of the group on a number of important issues related to NAM’s security interests.

The role reflects Vietnam’s motto of acting independently and responsibly, always taking into account peace and security as well as stability and development in the region and the world as a whole.

The UNSC chair in July will bring Vietnam great responsibilities, including the making of reports on the council’s activities from August 1, 2007 to July 31, 2008 for submitting to the UN General Assembly for consideration.

The reports will review the council’s operations with regard to all 60 items on its current agenda. The task requires a lot of time and efforts considering the UNSC’s huge workload over the past year, including the second half of 2007 when Vietnam was still not a UNSC member.

The council will also discuss and decide a series of complicated issues in July such as those related to Kosovo and Myanmar, the deployment of the UN-African Union joint peacekeeping force in Darfur, and the nuclear issues of Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. This will pose a big challenge for Vietnam in its first time chairing the UNSC.

However, Vietnam has been well prepared to chair the UNSC and help deal with disputes and conflicts through peaceful dialogues and negotiations, avoiding confrontation and respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity of all nations on the basis of protecting both national interests and international peace and security.

The international community appreciated Vietnam’s preparations for the heavy task, saying the country will surely play an important role in maintaining peace and resolving conflicts in the world. (VNA)