STATEMENT by H.E. Mr. Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the United Nations at the Eleventh Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly (mofa.gov.vn)


Mr. President, 

1. More than seventy years ago, the founders of the United Nations  instilled into the Charter their hope and aspiration to save succeeding  generations from the scourge of war. They enshrined in the Charter the  fundamental principles which have become the foundation for contemporary  international law and friendly relations and cooperation among nations.  

2. However, actions not in line with these principles continue to pose  serious threats to international peace and security and development of nations  and the people. They challenge the very relevance and legitimacy of the United  Nations.  

For a number of times, our nation’s own history of enduring wars has  shown that too often wars and conflicts until today stem from obsolete doctrines  of power politics, the ambition of domination and the imposition and the use of  force in settling international disputes. A number of them are associated with  historical legacies, misperception and misunderstanding. 

Viet Nam understands firsthand that once broken out, wars and conflicts  only cause enormous suffering to human beings and grave consequences for  many aspects of the life of nations directly involved as well as of others.  

3. Against this backdrop, Viet Nam has time and again underscored the  importance of respect for international law and the UN Charter. All  international disputes should be resolved by peaceful means, based on the  fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter.  

These include the principles of sovereign equality, respect for the  political independence and territorial integrity of states, non-interference in 

internal affairs of states, and refrainment from the threat or use of force. All  States, large and small, must adhere to these fundamental principles. 

4. Viet Nam therefore has been extremely concerned over the ongoing  armed conflict in Ukraine, a sovereign member state of the UN. Viet Nam and  other ASEAN member states issued a statement on this matter on 26 February  2022. It is imperative now to exercise utmost restraint and immediately cease  the use of force to avoid further casualties and losses, especial those of civilians.  

We call on concerned parties to de-escalate tension, resume dialogue and  negotiation through all channels, with a view to achieving long-term solutions  that take into consideration the interests and concerns of all parties, in  accordance with international law, in particular the respect for sovereignty and  territorial integrity of states. Such a solution will put an end to the ongoing  suffering and make major contribution to peace, security and development in  Europe and the world at large.  

In this regard, we take note of the meeting between the delegations of  Ukraine and the Russian Federation yesterday and look forward to continued  engagement by relevant parties and early results from the negotiations. At the  same time, it is of critical importance to safeguard the safety, security of the  people and indispensable civilian infrastructure, in line with international  humanitarian law. 

5. To create a favourable environment for such objectives, we call on the  international community, countries in and beyond the region to continue their  support for and facilitation of dialogue among parties. We encourage greater  efforts to scale up humanitarian assistance for civilians and commend  operations by the UN and other partners in the last few days to assist people on  the ground, including refugees.  

It is also essential to ensure safety and security for all foreign nationals  living in Ukraine, including the Vietnamese nationals, as well as the facilitation  of their evacuation. 

I thank you./.