Vietnam, 1992

On

behalf of the delegation of Viet Nam, permit me at the outset to extend my

warmest congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Stoyan Ganev, Minister for

Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, on his election to the presidency

of the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session. I am sure Mr. Ganev's

guidance of this session of the General Assembly will make it a success. We

also wish to express our appreciation for the outstanding contribution of His

Excellency Mr. Samir S. Shihabi, President of the General Assembly at its

forty-sixth session. We should also like to express our great appreciation of

the untiring and dynamic efforts of by His Excellency

Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in the

noble cause of peace, security and cooperation among nations.

On this occasion I cannot fail to convey warm greetings to the new

Members of our great family, the United Nations.

Since the last session of the General Assembly, we have continued to

witness profound and far-reaching changes on a global scale. Those changes

have led to the disintegration of the international order that came into being

after the Second World War and that had existed for nearly half a century.

The new world situation opens up new opportunities for but at the same time

presents acute challenges to the peace, security and prosperity of each

nation, as well as that of the international community as a whole. With the

threat of annihilation by nuclear war receding and no longer hanging over the

peoples of the world like the sword of Damocles, all nations might expect to

live in a world of peace, security, justice and prosperity, with egalitarian,

mutually beneficial cooperation and the joint application of the miraculous

achievements of the modern scientific and technological revolution to the

benefit of each country's and the whole world's development and well-being.

Regrettably, the overall picture of today's world is far from being

promising. We fully share the view expressed by the leaders of the

non-aligned countries in the Jakarta Message of 6 September 1992:

"The world today is still far from being a peaceful, just and secure

place. Simmering disputes, violent conflicts, aggression and foreign

occupation, interference in the internal affairs of States, policies of

hegemony and domination, ethnic strife, religious intolerance, new forms

of racism and narrowly conceived nationalism are major and dangerous

obstacles to harmonious coexistence among States."

Concurrently with the settlement of some regional conflicts, we have

witnessed the outbreak of a series of new conflicts on several continents,

even in the heart of Europe, a continent that should have enjoyed peace and

stability thanks to the Helsinki mechanism of cooperation and security. In

practice, policies of embargo, coercion and diktat are still being pursued by

some countries or groups of countries against others, thus hindering the

latter's development.

The global economic environment also contains elements of uncertainty.

The rate of economic growth has fallen to its lowest level in many years. The

symptoms of a new financial crisis, which could shake the international

monetary system, can be perceived. Tendencies towards greater protectionism

and the deadlock in the Uruguay Round are only worsening the economic

situation of many countries, especially the developing countries.

Even more worrisome is the inexorably widening gap between the developed

industrial countries and the developing countries. We cannot remain

indifferent to the poverty and hunger suffered daily by millions of men and

women across the continents. The famine in many countries, most severe in

some African countries like Somalia and the Sudan, is deeply moving and calls

for vast emergency assistance from other countries and from international

organizations.

In view of the above-mentioned opportunities and challenges, it is

imperative for States and nations to step up cooperation to promote their own

development and at the same time to join forces in solving global problems and

in contributing to the building of a new, sounder and better world order based

on truly democratic and egalitarian international relations, mutual respect

and reciprocal benefit for the sake of the overall objectives of peace and

development.

In this regard, we welcome the initial results of the United Nations

Conference on Environment and Development at Rio, especially Agenda 21, aiming

at the goal of sustainable development. The immediate question, however, is

that of securing the financial and technological resources needed to implement

Agenda 21.

The social dimension, including the concern for children, assumes the

same long-term significance as regards both sustainable development and the

environment. As is shown in the report of the Secretary-General, in the

follow-up to the Plan of Action adopted by the World Summit for Children, much

has been done in the past two years, but our commitment and our action need to

be imbued with even greater universality. For its part, Viet Nam was the

first country in Asia to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We

have finalized our national programme of action and have just submitted,

within the specified time-frame, our first national report on the

implementation of the Convention.

Against the backdrop of the evolving international situation, Asia and

the Pacific reflect fairly clearly the characteristics of today's world.

While several nations have seized opportunities to achieve rapid development,

not a small number of others remain mired in a state of underdevelopment,

deprivation and poverty. Alongside the trend towards cooperation, some seeds

of potential conflicts are being sown.

We are pleased to note that South-East Asia is now entering a new stage

with fine prospects for peace and prosperity. The erstwhile complicated

bilateral relations have been and are being normalized and the trend towards

regional cooperation and integration, in order to achieve stability and

development, is gaining great momentum. Relations of good-neighbourliness,

mutual trust and understanding are gradually being established in the region.

These are indeed historic developments in the international relations of

South-East Asia, which had been a constant hotbed of war and tension for the

past half century. However, as in many other areas in the world, there remain

latent factors of destabilization, factors that are a legacy of the past or

arise from recent events, especially those relating to territorial borders

either on the land or on the sea, between the countries of South-East Asia and

those near to them. This is a cause of concern for countries within and

outside the region because of the danger of destabilization in that important

part of the world.

It is our view that global security is indivisible. This is true at the

global as well as the regional level. Security can be achieved in South-East

Asia only when security is assured for each country in the region, it being

understood that such security is multifaceted: military, political and

economic. To that end, various positive initiatives and proposals have been

put forward by countries in the region, such as the Zone of Peace, Freedom and

Neutrality in South-East Asia (ZOPFAN), the Free Trade Area (AFTA) of the

Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Manila Declaration

of 22 July 1992, Malaysia's East Asian Economic Grouping (EAEG), Indonesia's

Forum on Cooperation in the Eastern (South China) Sea, and the seven

principles governing relations among the countries of South-East Asia set

forth by the Lao People's Democratic Republic. These proposals and

initiatives have contributed, and are still contributing, to a large extent to

the strengthening of mutual trust and understanding among nations in the

region, thus fostering further regional cooperation.

With regard to the problems that emerged recently over the Eastern Sea,

it is our view that they should be solved appropriately through peaceful

negotiations, without resort to force or the threat of force that is, on the

basis of fundamental principles acceptable to all the parties concerned;

otherwise, the situation may take a negative and complex turn.

For Viet Nam's part, while firmly resolved to defend our sovereignty and

territorial integrity, we advocate the settlement of all disputes through

dialogue between the parties concerned, so as to achieve an appropriate

solution together. Pending such a solution, Viet Nam will exercise the utmost

restraint and refrain from any action that might adversely affect efforts

towards confidence-building and the relaxation of tension in the relations

among countries of the region, and hopes that other parties concerned will do

the same. We are convinced that with good will on the part of all parties

concerned, an appropriate solution can be found to any dispute, no matter how

complex it may be. In this spirit, we reiterate our full support for the four

principles put forward in the ASEAN Declaration of 22 July 1992 to serve as a

basis for the settlement of disputes and to ensure security in the Eastern

Sea. These principles are as follows: First, all sovereignty and

jurisdictional issues pertaining to the Eastern (South China) Sea shall be

resolved by peaceful means, without resort to force; secondly, all parties

concerned shall exercise restraint with a view to creating a positive climate

for the eventual resolution of all disputes; thirdly, the possibilities of

cooperation in the Eastern Sea shall be explored without prejudicing the

sovereignty and jurisdiction of countries having direct interests in the area;

and, fourthly, the principles contained in the Treaty of Friendship and

Cooperation in South-East Asia shall be applied as the basis for establishing

a code of international conduct over the Eastern Sea.

Fruitful discussions in a spirit of constructive cooperation, based on

equality and mutual respect between Viet Nam and, respectively, Malaysia,

Indonesia and Thailand, on questions relating to the Eastern Sea, have proved

to be the best way to settle problems in relations among countries of the

region.

The countries of the region and the international community support the

implementation of the Paris Agreements on Cambodia, with a view to building a

peaceful, independent and neutral Cambodia, living in national harmony,

enjoying friendly relations with all countries and contributing to regional

peace and stability. However, we share the international community's concern

that the implementation of the Paris Agreements is being impeded and we call

upon all the parties concerned to cooperate in order to ensure the strict

and full implementation of these Agreements. For its part, as a signatory

to the Paris Agreements, Viet Nam reaffirms its strict observance and full

implementation of the provisions concerning Viet Nam, as stipulated by the

Agreements. At the same time, Viet Nam denounces the acts of ostracism

and persecution against Vietnamese residents in Cambodia and categorically

rejects the slanderous allegations against Viet Nam by those whose only

aim is to cover up their activities which undermine the Paris Agreements.

The internationalization of the world economy and the trend towards

economic restructuring require reform and resolute participation of national

economies, including that of Viet Nam, in the international division of

labour, economic cooperation and world trade. Over the last 5 years, thanks

to the judicious policy pursued and the exceptional efforts exerted by the

Vietnamese people, the cause of reform and renewal in Vietnam has effectively

become part of everyday life and brought about initial but very significant

achievements in all spheres of social life. The energies of all economic

sectors in our country have been released and multiplied. Together with the

expansion of cooperation with the outside world, such developments have

brought about visible changes in the economic and social make-up of the

country which is thus poised to forge ahead.

Life however always poses new demands. While carrying out the task of

economic reform as the centrepiece of our efforts we are at the same time

stepping up political reform and renewal. These are the two facets of one

single process which interact and stimulate each other. The political reform

is aimed at extending the democratic freedoms of our citizens in all respects,

restructuring the political system and building a State governed by the rule

of law, truly of the people, by the people and for the people. Our new

Constitution, promulgated in April this year, is not only a concrete

embodiment but also the institutionalization of this reform process. One of

the essential elements of this new Constitution is to ensure strict respect

for the fundamental rights of the citizen. Proceeding from the great

principles enshrined in Viet Nam's 1945 Declaration of Independence, whereby

"all peoples of the world are born equal; every nation is entitled to the

same rights to life, happiness and freedom", we hold the view that each State

and each nation strives for the ideal of democracy and freedom in its own way,

creatively rather than through a stereotyped or dogmatic approach, and still

less through the adoption of models imposed from outside. Each nation is

entitled to the sacred right freely to choose its own socio-political system,

to chart its own path of development and to tackle its own problems in

accordance with its historical, cultural and social traditions. It is

unacceptable for one nation to impose standards of democracy and human rights

upon another nation, and it is all the more unacceptable for one nation to

stand as judge over another nation.

Carrying out its foreign policy of broad openness, diversification and

greater multilateral emphasis in its international relations, during recent

times Viet Nam has strengthened and expanded its relations with many countries

in the world on the bases of mutual respect for each other's independence,

sovereignty and territorial integrity, of non-interference in each other's

internal affairs, and of equality and mutual benefit. We attach special

importance to improving and strengthening relations of friendship and

cooperation with countries in our region and to making a positive contribution

towards a South-East Asia of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

Relations between Viet Nam and the countries of the Association of South-East

Asian Nations (ASEAN) have entered a completely new phase. Our country's

accession to the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation in South-East Asia, signed at

Bali in 1976, and its becoming an observer in ASEAN constitute the foundation

for a qualitatively new development of the relations of friendship and

cooperation between Viet Nam and the ASEAN countries. Relations between Viet

Nam and China have been normalized on the basis of the five principles of

peaceful coexistence, in keeping with the aspiration and interests of the two

peoples and with the trend towards peace, stability and development in the

region. We believe that these fundamental interests will help the two

countries settle in a satisfactory manner and through peaceful negotiations

outstanding as well as newly emerging problems in their relations on the basis

of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests.

Our foreign policy is geared to combining continuity and dynamism in our

relations with all countries, large and small. We are doing our utmost to

consolidate and renew traditional relations with friendly countries and with

countries members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and we continue to extend

solidarity and support to the cause of the Palestinian and South African

peoples and to all other peoples struggling for peace, national independence,

democracy and social progress. We continue to strengthen existing relations

with countries in various continents and at the same time enter into relations

with countries in regions with which we have had only rare contacts in the

past, such as recently with countries in the South Pacific, the Gulf and Latin

America.

The normalization of relations between Viet Nam and the United States

will benefit not only the Vietnamese and the American peoples but also peace

and stability in South East Asia. We have turned the page on past history and

look forward to the future. Proceeding from this spirit and from our

humanitarian policy, we have done whatever possible in cooperating effectively

with the United States to settle the question of Americans missing in action

during the Viet Nam war. Our constructive efforts and goodwill have been

welcomed by the American public and acknowledged by the United States

Administration.

We are of the view that today multilateralism, especially as embodied by

the United Nations, occupies an increasingly significant position. However,

we should define the appropriate degree of separation and correlation between

the multilateral dimension and the national dimension. It should be

emphasized that isolationism is outmoded but national sovereignty forever

remains a sacred value, which all countries, large and small, are determined

to defend.

World developments over the past year have rendered ever more imperative

the demand for the democratization of international life and inter-State

relations, including the democratization of multilateral forums, especially

the United Nations. In the new context, the composition of the Security

Council and the balance between the Council, the General Assembly and the

Secretary-General of the United Nations must reflect the realities of a world

which has radically changed as compared with the time when the United Nations

was born, and even with only a few years ago.

We endorse the idea of re-examining and enlarging the composition of the

Security Council, with due attention to developing countries, with a view to

fully implementing the principle of equality between all Member States and

ensuring that the voice of the majority is duly heard in the process of making

decisions on issues of critical importance to the international community.

Our world body must be revitalized so that it can really be an effective

multilateral tool for keeping and safeguarding peace, contributing to the

solution of global issues and especially for building a sounder and more

equitable new world order that will be the fruit of our truly common endeavour.

Within its foreign policy of sovereign independence, peace, cooperation

and openness, Vietnam will do its best to participate actively in the work of

multilateral institutions and forums, thereby to promote further its

integration into the international community and the world economy and to

contribute to shaping a sound and equitable new world order that really meets

the legitimate expectations of the community of nations.