Delegates to the forum (Photo: VNA) Opening the forum, Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen KhanhNgoc said that the forum is part of a plan to implement the initiative tostrengthen mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters within theASEAN, which was proposed by Vietnam and approved by the ASEAN justiceministries in 2005.
He highlighted the rise in legal issues and efforts of ASEANcountries in promoting international judicial cooperation as well as adjustingtheir domestic laws regarding international justice to meet their owndevelopment requirements.
Ngoc held that in implementing the Vietnam’s initiative, ASEANmembers have recognised the necessity to study and consult other internationalframeworks, especially the HCCH and its conventions on international justice.One obvious result is that more and more ASEAN member states are participatingin the HCCH and relevant international conventions.
He noted that Vietnam joined the HCCH in 2013, The Hague Convention onProtection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption in2012, the Convention on Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documentsin Civil or Commercial Matters in 2016, and the Convention on the Taking ofEvidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters in 2020.
The country has also signed 18 agreements on bilateral mutual legal assistancein civil and trade with other countries, of which the latest one is withThailand, which was signed on November 16, he said, adding that Vietnam hascontinued to consider the possibility of joining other international treatieson international law.
Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative Vietnam, saidthat as an active member of the HCCH and two of The Hague Conventions, Vietnamhas seen the benefits of a common international framework on mutual legalassistance. Instead of signing bilateral agreements, joining The Hague Conventionshelps establish common guidelines applicable to all mutual legal assistanceactivities among member states, she said.
The official expressed her hope that Vietnam and other countries willshare their experience with fellow ASEAN ,embers as part of this Law Forum,providing their unique and valuable insights in this area.
Khalidi said she expects discussions on how a common mutuallegal assistance framework can increase the accuracy and efficiency inforeign-related civil and commercial cases, within ASEAN and beyond./.
VNA
