Vietnam highlights role of international law in maintaining peace, security hinh anh 1Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s mission to the UN (Photo: VNA)
 
New York (VNA) - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has a significant role to play in maintaining peace and international security through mechanisms to handle lawsuits between countries and to provide legal counselling, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s mission to the UN, has affirmed.
 
He made the remark during a virtual meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on October 28 to listen to a report of the ICJ President Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, aiming to bolster new vitality of the cooperation between the two bodies, thereby ensuring peace and international security.
 
The meeting is held annually to exchange information and dialogue between them on legal issues regarding peace and international cooperation.
 
The UNSC and the ICJ have different yet supplementary roles, he added, especially in the explanation, application, promotion, upholding and development of international law.
 
In the context of increasing challenges to peace and international security along with violations against international law in several regions, the ambassador suggested that the UNSC uphold and utilise international law as an efficient tool to ensure peace and security across the globe.
 
He called on the two bodies to enhance cooperation through mechanisms approved by the Charter of the UN, as the UNSC may encourage claimants to bring their cases to the ICJ, seek counselling of the Court on legal aspects relevant to the UNSC’s agenda or support the enforcement of the Court’s verdict if required by claimants. 
 
Quy also underlined that resolving international disputes by peaceful means is among the fundamental principles of international law, reiterating that countries can choose numerous methods to handle disputes in accordance with principles stated in the UN Charter, including the jurisdiction mechanism.
 
He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of complying with basic principles of international law on resolving disputes in a peaceful manner, without resorting to or threatening to use weapons, as well as strengthening the role of international legal bodies in advocating collaboration and friendship between countries, thus maintaining peace and international security.
 
The diplomat added that Vietnam supports international legal procedures, including the ICJ. The country is also for the enhancement of international cooperation and the raising of national capacity in using jurisdiction and arbitration mechanisms, calling on the Court to bolster training and connections with young people engaging in international legal work.
 
The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN. It was established in June 1945 by the UN Charter.
 
The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN organs and specialised agencies./.
VNA