On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, I
wish to congratulate you, Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, on
your election as President of the General Assembly at
its sixty-fourth session. I believe that with your rich
experience, you will lead the Assembly at this session
to great success. Viet Nam commends you, Sir, for the
theme you proposed for this high-level general debate,
namely, effective responses to global crises —
strengthening multilateralism and dialogue among
civilizations for international peace, security and
development.
I further wish to express our high appreciation to
His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann for
his contributions to the work of the General Assembly
at its sixty-third session.
The year since the Assembly’s sixty-third session
has not been a long span of time, yet it has been
characterized by the many challenges it brought to the
entire international community. Every part of the world
has suffered from the negative and far-reaching
impacts of the global financial crisis and economic
downturn. That further aggravates the challenges in
terms of food security, energy security and climate
change facing developing countries in particular. In the
meantime, tension and conflicts persist in various
regions, and the threats of the proliferation of weapons
17 09-52470
of mass destruction and of international terrorism
continue to demand effective responses.
Because of all this, the past year has also
witnessed enormous efforts on the part of the
international community, both in thinking and in
action, not only to address the immediate problems but
also to create a more sustainable foundation for
common peace and prosperity. In due course, nations
have been able to draw valuable lessons on governance
over domestic development and to gain a fuller
understanding of the meaning of multilateral
cooperation. It is evident that no single country could
respond to the financial and economic crisis and to the
series of current global challenges. It is equally evident
that policies and measures of imposition and unilateral
use of force to address international security and
political issues would only result in more tension,
confrontation and impasse.
Given the many difficulties at the present time,
we are encouraged by recent positive — although not
solid — signals from the world economy. The first
summit of the Security Council on nuclear
non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament has
highlighted the question of disarmament on the
international agenda. Viet Nam recognizes the active
contributions of the United Nations and the Secretary-
General in the furtherance of discussions on and direct
support for the implementation of concrete measures in
relation to issues of international concern. In this
connection, Viet Nam hopes that this Assembly will
focus its deliberations on the following issues.
Respect for the fundamental principles of
international law and the United Nations Charter in
international relations is the determining factor for
peace and security and a prerequisite for all the
activities undertaken by the international community.
On that basis, the United Nations should continue to
make active contributions to easing tension and
peacefully resolving outstanding disputes and conflicts,
including those relating to the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea and Iran.
It is Viet Nam’s hope that early progress will be
made in the negotiations for a peaceful,
comprehensive, just and lasting solution in the Middle
East on the basis of ensuring the fundamental national
rights of the Palestinian people and the legitimate
interests of all parties concerned. We fully support the
national reconciliation and reconstruction process in
Afghanistan and Iraq and strongly condemn terrorist
acts against civilians in those countries and in other
places in the world. We oppose the unilateral use of
economic sanctions against developing countries and
support the General Assembly resolutions on the
necessity of immediately ending the economic,
commercial and financial embargo imposed against
Cuba.
An effective and comprehensive response to
today’s economic and financial crisis is the top concern
of the international community. In the immediate term,
that includes urgent measures to curb the pace of the
downturn, encourage an early recovery of the world
economy and minimize the negative impacts of the
crisis, particularly on the realization of the Millennium
Development Goals in developing countries.
In the long run, the response will embrace
considerations of development paradigms suitable for
individual nations and reforms of the international
system of economic relations, which has for quite a
while shown many irrationalities. It is also imperative
to promote the role of the United Nations in designing
international strategies and mechanisms to address the
energy and food crisis, pandemics and climate change,
including issues to be discussed at the Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen this December.
The United Nations reform process should also
continue to meet the emerging, complex requirements.
Viet Nam shares the common view that reform should
be undertaken in all United Nations agencies, with
Security Council reform conducted in such a way as to
broaden its representation and render its operational
methodology more democratic and transparent. Efforts
to reform the machinery should go hand in hand with
efforts to renew content and to pay due attention to the
balance among the fields of activity of the United
Nations. United Nations operations should also be
provided with sufficient resources.
Next year, Member States will commemorate the
sixty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, while
also reviewing the Organization’s activities and the
10-year implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). To prepare the ground
for recommendations to be submitted to the leaders of
Member States at the sixty-fifth session, we need to
discuss what lessons can be drawn from United
Nations activities in all spheres, what activities should
be prioritized and what conditions are necessary for the
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Organization fully to carry out its mandates and
functions in the interest of all nations.
In the recent past, Viet Nam has continued to
record major achievements in the process of renewal,
in general, and initial positive gains in response to the
impact of the global economic and financial crisis, in
particular. We have also been successful in our foreign
policy, which is based on openness and strives to
diversify and ensure the multilateral character of our
external relations in the spirit of being a friend and
reliable partner of all nations and an active,
constructive, cooperative and responsible member of
the international community.
As a non-permanent member of the Security
Council, we have been an active participant in and an
effective and responsible contributor to the
maintenance of world peace and security. As a peace-
loving nation, Viet Nam always strongly supports and
contributes to the peaceful settlement of international
disputes and conflicts, the fight against transnational
crime and international terrorism, and the promotion of
disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction. As a country that experienced
decades of war with devastating consequences,
including the long-term effects of the Agent Orange
toxic chemical, and as a country that has made
important achievements in development, Viet Nam has
always striven towards the effective Security Council
action in supporting reconstruction efforts in countries
emerging from conflict.
In its work, Viet Nam sets high store by
consultation and cooperation with other members of
the Security Council and the United Nations, as shown
by our initiative to consult Member States on the latest
annual report of the Security Council. I would like to
take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude
and appreciation to all Member States for their
cooperation, without which Viet Nam would not have
accomplished this undertaking.
In the future, Viet Nam will continue to work
actively for world peace, stability, cooperation and
development, thus contributing to efforts of the United
Nations and the international community in
accelerating the resolution of social issues and global
challenges, as well as the implementation of
development programmes and the Delivering as One
initiative.
This session of the General Assembly is taking
place at a crucial juncture. During 2009, the world has
witnessed many significant changes, which have
demanded corresponding policy decisions from us. I
believe that only by standing shoulder to shoulder to
enhance multilateral cooperation can we, as
responsible leaders, meet the expectations and
aspirations of our peoples and map out a path for the
long-term development of the United Nations. Viet
Nam will always be a supportive, active and
responsible participant in this noble mission.