Vietnam well prepared for election to UNSC: Ambassador

A session of the UN Security Council in New York (Source: VNA)

During an interview granted to correspondents of the Vietnam News Agency, Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani shared his country’s experience in undertaking the role as the non-permanent member of the UNSC, and pointed to challenges that will face Vietnam in the work.

A session of the UN General Assembly will hold a vote on June 7 for five non-permanent member positions of the UNSC, including one for the group of Asian-Pacific nations - which Vietnam is representing.

Dian said Vietnam has well prepared in recent months, predicting that the country will not face any problem in the upcoming vote.

Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have also greatly supported Vietnam because the bloc also wants its member countries to be present in the council.

If Vietnam wins the election, it will have only six months to get a thorough grasp of procedures and regulations of the council in order to well assume its position in the next two years, he said, stressing that careful preparation for this is very important and necessary.

He expressed his belief that if Vietnam is elected, it would do well its responsibilities at the UN Security Council.

The diplomat emphasized that Vietnam will contribute greatly to the council because it is very reliable, and works on principles.

Vietnam has sent personnel to UN peacekeeping forces and there are many other areas in which the country can contribute when becoming a non-permanent member of the Security Council, he noted.

As Indonesia was the rotary president of the UN Security Council in May, the ambassador also shared experiences in coordinating cooperation with other members of the council which have different viewpoints, especially the five permanent members, to maintain unity within the organisation.

UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra (Photo: VNA)

While during an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra noted that Vietnam could become a non-permanent member of the UNSC at the same time with assuming the rotary chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Heavy responsibilities are ahead for the country when it has to demonstrate its role and capability not only in the international area but also in the region.

According to Malhotra, UN members hope that if elected to the UNSC, Vietnam would play a bigger role in issues on the UNSC’s agenda such as the denuclearization in the Korean peninsula or the situation in Myanmar.

The Korean peninsula is one of the top priorities on the UNSC’s agenda, he said, adding that as Vietnam had successfully hosted the second US-DPRK summit in Hanoi recently, he hoped the country would play a more active role in this issue.

Vietnam should also share its experience in post-war recovery, economic development, realization of Millennium Goals, commitment to realising the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and role in peacekeeping forces, the official said.

As leader of the UN in Vietnam, Malhotra reiterated his commitment to continuing to accompany Vietnam in its new role and responsibility if the country is elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2020-2021 tenure./.

VNF/VNA