New York (VNA) – Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hai Luu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), reaffirmed Vietnam's consistent support for the legitimate and inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as well as for the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the UN.
Addressing an open debate on the situation in the Middle East held by the UN Security Council (UNSC) in New York on July 28, he urged the international community not to allow recent developments in the Middle East to overshadow the Palestinian issue.
The diplomat also reiterated Vietnam's support for the two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with a view to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East.
In his remarks, Luu expressed deep concern over the continued conflicts and instability across the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf region, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and southern Lebanon. He said these developments have caused severe human losses, hampered humanitarian operations, disrupted trade and energy supplies, heightened regional instability, and adversely affected the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2803 as well as prospects for negotiations between the US and Iran.
He stressed that civilians and essential civilian infrastructure must be protected under all circumstances, while security and freedom of navigation and overflight must be ensured in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He welcomed the resumption of negotiations between the US and Iran aimed at resolving differences and ending the conflict, commended the efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Türkiye, Switzerland, and other mediators in maintaining communication channels and advancing the negotiation process.
The Vietnamese representative called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, engage in constructive dialogue, and implement agreements reached in good faith.
Chaired by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its capacity as President of the UNSC for July, the debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, drew representatives from more than 60 UN member states, along with senior UN officials.
Participants voiced concern that although regional tensions have shown signs of easing, the risk of renewed escalation remains, while the situation in Gaza and the West Bank continues to seriously undermine prospects for implementing the two-State solution.
They called for maintaining ceasefire agreements, ensuring full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and stepping up diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and advance a lasting political settlement./.
