State President Nguyen Minh Triet affirmed that Vietnam values its relations with the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at a common debate held on July 15 among heads of delegations to the 15 th NAM Summit in the Egyptian city of Sharm-el-Sheikh.

“In the spirit of solidarity and cooperation for mutual interests, Vietnam will focus on expanding economic ties and mutual assistance with other NAM member countries in agriculture, health care and education as well as exchange development experiences, including measures to cope with the economic and financial crisis, maintain growth and macro-economic stability and ensure social welfare,” he said.

The President said the summit themed “International Solidarity for Peace and Development” represented the aspiration for peace held by all NAM member countries and manifested NAM as one of the largest pro-peace movements of the time.

He called on member countries to stay closer with each other and to fight for noble goals NAM has pursued since its beginning. He also urged them to strictly observe the organisation’s principles of respecting national sovereignty, non-interference into internal affairs, friendship enhancement and the non-use and non-threat of force in international relations and solving international disputes through peaceful negotiations.

“Vietnam strongly supports peaceful solutions in response to disputes and differences in the world,” reiterated President Triet.

As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Vietnam has given the highest priority to the prevention of conflicts and the peaceful handling of disputes in line with the UN Charter and international legal norms, the President noted.

He said Vietnam agrees with other NAM countries to support human rights and common humanistic values. It does not believe there is only one model for democracy and rejects interference in a nation’s affairs in the name of human rights and democracy. “Such action is related to colonialism and goes against the most fundamental human right of ational sovereignty and hinders international cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and dialogue,” Triet said.

He suggested that NAM work more closely with the UN and other international organisations to effectively implement stimulus measures, fight protectionism, reform international financial and economic system, create more favourable conditions to cope with the global crisis and implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in developing nations.

Triet went on to say that the south-south cooperation should focus on practical activities, expand trade ties, and exchange experiences in dealing with new challenges emerged during the development process.

“Vietnam backs NAM in any negotiations with relevant bodies to build international strategies, programmes and mechanisms for sustainable development such as how to cope with the food and energy crisis, diseases and climate change,” he said.

He noted that Vietnam has implemented a foreign policy of openness over the past 20 years of renewal. The nation has also recorded high economic growths for many years and achievements in poverty reduction, social development and the implementation of MDGs.

The Vietnamese leader also spoke highly of the active contributions Cuba and her President, Raul Castro, have made during the last three years to maximise NAM ’s power and unity./.