Ambassador and Head of Vietnam's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nguyen Trung Thanh (left). (Source: VNA)Geneva (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is committed to continue to make contributions to the UN Human Rights Council, said the ASEAN Coordinator at the Council at the working session marking the council’s 10 th anniversary in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 13.
On behalf of the ASEAN, Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN, congratulated the success of the UN Human Rights Council in helping people over the world achieve goals on human rights as stipulated in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN’s relevant documents.
ASEAN stressed the importance of observing the principles of universality, objectivity, impartiality, non-discrimination, non-confrontation and non-politicization in the operation of the UN Human Rights Council.
While reiterating each country’s top responsibility in the protection and promotion of human rights, ASEAN countries are of the view that the work should take into account specific factors in terms of politics, economy, law, society, culture, history and religion in each country and region.
The Ambassador reviewed the 10-year history of the UN Human Rights Council and highlighted the fact that the ASEAN has always had its presence among 47 member nations of the UN Human Rights. He affirmed that cooperation and dialogue is the leading approach of Vietnam as well as ASEAN countries when they serve as members of the UN Human Rights.
The working session on the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the UN Human Rights is an important activity of the 32nd session of the UN Human Rights with the participation of many outstanding speakers, including former presidents of the UN Human Rights Council from 2006, leaders of many international organisations and non-government organisations and international scholars.
Earlier, the 32nd session of the UN Human Rights opened on June 13 with speeches of the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter as well as delegates and Heads of representative missions of 47 member countries and more than 100 observer countries.
The session will last until July 1.-VNA
