Vietnam, 2012

On behalf

of the delegation of Viet Nam, I extend my warmest

congratulations to you, Sir, on your election as President

of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I

am confident that under your stewardship this session

will be crowned with success. I appreciate the excellent

work done by the Secretary-General and welcome the

outcomes of the sixty-sixth session, presided over by

Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.

To start with, we would like to welcome the theme

proposed for this year’s general debate, “Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes

or situations by peaceful means”. This theme is of

particular relevance in today’s world, when instability

and conflicts continue in various regions, especially in

North Africa and the Middle East. The decades-long

Palestinian-Israeli conflict lingers on and requires a

satisfactory solution, including the establishment of

an independent sovereign Palestinian State coexisting

peacefully with the State of Israel. Progress has yet

to be made in disarmament, particularly nuclear

disarmament, while the risk of the proliferation of

weapons of mass destruction continues to grow. New,

complicated developments are emerging in the Asia-

Pacific region, a dynamically growing and important

region of the world.

We believe that the success of this General

Assembly session will significantly contribute to the

primary goal of the United Nations, maintaining world

peace and security. Accordingly, we must further uphold

international law and strengthen compliance with

it. Nations must strongly commit to the fundamental

principles of international law and the United Nations

Charter, particularly the peaceful settlement of disputes

and non-use of force, as well as respect for the national

independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity

of States. We must promote dialogue and the use of

peaceful means in the settlement of disputes, especially

recourse to international and regional organizations

and international legal mechanisms. And we must

not accept the imposition of sanctions like those

against Cuba, the removal of which the Assembly has

repeatedly called for.

International law is an intellectual creation of the

civilized world, which all States must respect and abide

by in good faith. If international law is enforced, the

risk of conflict will be minimized and sustained peace

will be better secured.

Viet Nam therefore welcomes the important

outcome of the recent High-level Meeting on the

Rule of Law at the National and International Levels

(resolution 67/1), which reaffirmed that the rule of law

is fundamental to political dialogue and cooperation

among States and is the indispensable bedrock for a

more peaceful, prosperous and just world. Compliance

with international law is an essential principle that

guides the policies and actions of each nation, as well

as the joint endeavours of the international community.

When we commemorate the thirtieth anniversary

of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) later this year, we should further

reaffirm our strong commitment to and compliance

with that constitution of the seas, which contributes

to the maintenance of peace, stability and maritime

security, safety and cooperation.

The United Nations continues to play an

indispensable role, entrusted to it by the international

community, in the maintenance of international peace

and security. Viet Nam commends the work done by

the United Nations, especially in helping settle regional

disputes and conflicts by peaceful means, including

through the strengthened use of peacekeeping

operations. We expect the Organization will continue

to build further upon its experience in that area and

promote a culture of peace and dialogue, to better

resolve ongoing conflicts and prevent the eruption of

new ones.

The United Nations must step up efforts in

disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear

weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, while

strengthening international cooperation and ensuring

the right of States to use related technologies for

peaceful purposes. Multilateral negotiating forums in

this area, particularly the Conference on Disarmament,

must be revitalized and intensified.

Furthermore, we should recognize the increasingly

important role of regional organizations. In East Asia,

the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

continues to play a central role in the regional

architecture and helps promote peace, stability and

security in the region, including maritime security

in the South China Sea. Viet Nam fully supports

ASEAN’s six-point principles statement on the South

China Sea, which further reaffirms the settlement of

disputes by peaceful means, respect for international

law, particularly UNCLOS, the full implementation

of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South

China Sea and a timely agreement on a code of conduct.

Peace is the prerequisite for development. Yet it is

sustainable development, including the end of poverty,

the promotion of social justice and the elimination of

inequality in international relations, which helps resolve

the root causes of conflicts and lays the foundation for

a sustained peace.

Today, the global economy continues to be in

difficulty. The Doha Development Round has yet to

make progress, while protectionism persists and the

shortcomings of the international economic and financial systems have yet to be overcome. As a result, many

countries, especially developing countries, continue to

face great difficulties in their development, including

in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs). In that context, it is essential that we

reaffirm our strong political commitment to ensuring

the realization of the MDGs, the promotion of inclusive

sustainable and green development, and the effective

response to natural disasters, climate change and other

global challenges.

The United Nations needs to strengthen global

partnerships for development and take the lead in

an inclusive process to formulate the post-2015

global development agenda, including the proposed

sustainable development goals. In that regard, we urge

developed countries to fulfil their pledges for increased

development assistance and support developing

countries in capacity-building.

This year, Viet Nam commemorates the thirty-fifth

anniversary of its membership in the United Nations.

Throughout that time, Viet Nam has consistently been

an active and responsible member of the Organization,

striving for peace, national independence, democracy,

social progress and prosperity for all nations. Building on

its 25 years of reform and important accomplishments,

Viet Nam has been working towards a growth model

that links economic development with social progress

and environmental protection.

In the face of recent global economic difficulties,

Viet Nam has taken steps to effectively maintain

macroeconomic stability and ensure social security.

Viet Nam continues to strengthen the rule of law and

build a State of the people, by the people and for the people, which places the people at the centre and

promotes their ownership and rights in all spheres.

Pursuing the policy of proactive international

integration, Viet Nam continues to contribute

actively to the work of the United Nations, ASEAN,

the Non-Aligned Movement, the International

Organization of la Francophonie and others. We also

contribute constructively in multilateral forums in

endeavours designed to respond to global challenges

including nuclear security; disarmament and the

non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;

sustainable development; climate change; water, food

and energy security; and the achievement of the MDGs.

Viet Nam has been implementing with good results

the United Nations initiative of Delivering as One. To

further contribute to the work of the United Nations,

Viet Nam has put forth its candidature for membership

in the Human Rights Council for the term 2014-2016,

and we look forward to the Assembly’s support.

Viet Nam always endorses efforts to enhance

the role and effectiveness of the United Nations to

enable the Organization to become the true centre for

harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment

of the common goals enshrined in its Charter. We

therefore support the continued reform of the United

Nations, including the strengthening of the General

Assembly as the most representative deliberative body,

and of the Economic and Social Council in the field of

socioeconomic development, as well as the expansion

of Security Council membership and reform of its

working methods.