A delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam has joined representatives from 59 political parties in Asia in a conference to discuss peace, security and reconciliation in the region.

Hoang Binh Quan, head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, proposed measures to secure peace and stability in Asia at the event, which was the seventh general assembly of International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) held in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku from November 21-24.

On the sidelines of the event, Vietnamese officials held talks with leaders of the New Azerbaijani Party and met with leaders of the National Assembly and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the host country. It also met with representatives of other participating political parties to exchange measures to boost cooperation.

Participants to the general assembly approved the ICAPP’s amended Charter, agreed to expand the ICAPP’s Standing Committee membership to 22, and adopted the Baku Declaration.

The declaration affirmed the importance of peace and security to the region, applauded positive results of the process of reconciliation and democratisation in some Asian countries over the past times, and showed worries about risks of growing conflicts and violence at many places in the region.

The general assembly supported the settlement of territorial disputes based on international law and principles of the United Nations Charter and rejected the use of force or threat to use force. It called for boosting cooperation to achieve nuclear disarmament, fight poverty and promote sustainable development.

It also suggested the early holding of the first conference between political parties of Asia, Africa and Latin America in the second half of 2013.

Born 12 years ago, ICAPP now gathers 336 political parties from 54 Asian countries to the motto “unification in diversity”.-VNA