Opening the function, UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon valued UN member countries’ contributionsto peacekeeping activities while calling for increasingly active andefficient participation to protect the people, promote the law, preventconflicts, maintain peace and build a better world.
Addressing 450 delegates from more than 100 countries, Deputy MinisterVinh underlined that the Asia-Pacific is facing imminent challengesposing threats to peace, stability, and security rising fromnon-traditional security problems, territorial disputes, threats offorce, and non-compliance with international law. Therefore, ensuringpeace and security in the Asian-Pacific region is now more urgent thanever and needs to be a highlight in the UN working agenda.
He emphasised that Vietnam continually exerts efforts to contribute topeace and stability, protests inequality and the use of force whileconsidering community interests and international law as the guidelinefor all its actions to safeguard the nation’s interests and maintainregional and international peace and security.
Vietnam, which sent liaison officers to the UN Mission in South Sudan,will send staff officers to the Mission in the Central African Republicand officially register for membership in the UN Standby ArrangementSystem (UNSAS) to take part in other missions, he added.
The Deputy Minister said the Vietnam People’s Army is capable ofsuccessfully participating in UN peacekeeping activities, adding that ithopes to receive cooperation and assistance from the UN and its membernations to fulfil assigned tasks.
Receiving theVietnamese Deputy Minister on the fringe of the conference, UNUnder-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Herve Ladsousdescribed Vietnam’s participation at the event as a representation ofits responsibility and determination to join UN peacekeeping missions.
The UN supports the country’s engagement inpeacekeeping activities and will help improve the Vietnam PeacekeepingCentre’s capacity to train peacekeeping forces; effectively performsearch, rescue, and humanitarian aid missions; and take part inbilateral and multilateral cooperation activities, he added.
Vinh appreciated the UN’s assistance to Vietnam in preparing andengaging in peacekeeping activities while stressing Vietnam’s persistenteffort to participate responsibly in the missions.
At the meeting, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN AmbassadorNguyen Phuong Nga presented the diplomatic note for the country’sregistration for the UNSAS to Ladsous, who pledged favourable conditionsfor qualified Vietnamese officers to become UN staff members atpeacekeeping agencies or other appropriate missions.
Ladsous asked the Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre to work with relevant UNagencies towards signing a memorandum of understanding on force,facilities, missions, and deadlines for task performances.
On the occasion, Deputy Minister Vinh also held a working session withUN Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare and met withrepresentatives of delegations from China, India, the US, Japan, and NewZealand.-VNA