Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN (Photo: VNA)

The meeting was held in Caracas on the weekend under the chair of Venezuela, to prepare for the NAM Summit slated for this October in Baku, Azerbaijan. More than 50 member states along with some observer and guest countries took part in the event, themed “Promotion and Consolidation of Peace through Respect for International Law”. In his speech, Ambassador Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN, highly value the NAM’s role and contributions to peace maintenance and cooperation promotion. He affirmed the importance of enhancing unanimity and solidarity on the basis of the movement’s fundamental principles, especially independence and not being affected by external pressure and interference, especially of big countries. The diplomat stressed that the NAM should step up efforts to create an open, equal, transparent and rules-based multilateral trade system that ensures the interests of developing countries.

In terms of the Southeast Asia and East Sea situations, Quy highlighted the role and contributions of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly in fostering cooperation and dialogue; maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; ensuring navigation and aviation freedom in the region; peacefully resolving conflicts and disputes on the basis of international law, including the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; respecting diplomatic and legal processes; fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea; and promoting negotiations to soon finalize an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the waters that is in line with international law.

Vietnam pledges to contribute to the NAM’s development on the basis of the movement’s fundamental principles, Quy noted, thanking the member countries for electing Vietnam a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

At the meeting, participants adopted several documents, including the Caracas Political Declaration and the Political Declaration of the NAM Ministerial Committee on Palestine.