Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam performed its role as a non-permanentmember of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) well in the first half ofthis year, contributing to creating an international and regional environmentconducive to national development and bolstering ties with countries for thecommon goal of peace, stability, and prosperity, Deputy Foreign Minister LeHoai Trung has said.

In a recent article, he further said that over 200 meetings at theambassadorial level and hundreds of working sessions considering 59 agenda issuesand adopting 81 documents are impressive figures posted during Vietnam’s first sixmonths at the UNSC.

On the back of an external policy of independence and self-reliance, hewrote, Vietnam has actively joined and played its role in multilateralmechanisms, especially at ASEAN and the UN in its dual role as a non-permanentmember of the UNSC and the ASEAN Chair 2020.

In his two messages on the occasion of Vietnam’s election as the ASEANChair 2020 in January 2020 and a UNSC non-permanent member for 2020-2021 inJune 2019, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Tronghighlighted the need to consider it as one of the most important tasks of theVietnamese Party and State in order to fulfil tasks assigned by theinternational community.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has also affirmed that Vietnam will doits best to perform its role as a UNSC non-permanent member well in an article writtenin June 2019. He also stressed that Vietnam supports multilateral cooperationin general and the UN and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in particular in anaddress to the online meeting of the 73rd World Health Assembly onMay 19.

In a spirit of partnership for sustainable peace, Trung said Vietnamalways observes the UN Charter and basic principles of international law;supports the seeking of solutions to regional and global disputes and conflictsvia negotiations, considering the legitimate interests of the partiesconcerned; and stands ready to share its experience in national development andregional and global integration.

Vietnam offered two initiatives, he said, including holding aministerial-level open debate on observing the UN Charter, which attracted the attentionof representatives from 106 countries raising their voices, adopting the firstChairman’s Statement on the UN Charter, and organising the first meetingbetween the UN and ASEAN to discuss enhancing collaboration.

In complex cases, the country took a balanced and constructive approach,meeting the legitimate interests of parties concerned and the internationalcommunity while protecting its stance and interests on important peace andsecurity issues.

In coordination with Indonesia, Vietnam delivered joint speeches spotlightingASEAN’s role and presence at the UNSC, especially at a time when it also assumedthe ASEAN Chairmanship 2020.

Vietnam’s responsible contribution and stance on issues in Africa, LatinAmerica, and the Middle East have also been welcomed by the internationalcommunity, he said, adding that countries listened to its opinion on thesettlement of complicated issues in Iran, Hong Kong (China), and Rakhine in Myanmar,among others.

World media and scholars also offered positive feedback on Vietnam’scontributions to the UNSC, saying it is at the heart of global attention withits dual role this year.

Concluding his article, Trung wrote that Vietnam stays determined tofulfil its tasks, making further contributions to the UNSC’s common effort forpeace, global security, stability, and sustainable development./.