Global Policy Forum

By Binh Chau

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will this week take part in a key UN General Assembly debate to lobby for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Dung will deliver an important speech at the general debate and hold bilateral talks with several top leaders from different countries from September 25 to 28, said Le Hoai Trung, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' International organisation Department.

Trung said Dung's participation showed that Vietnam would make a strong commitment and take its responsibilities seriously as a UN Security Council non-permanent member during the 2008-2009 term, making contributions to international issues, particularly global peace and security and UN reform. "There is strong possibility for Vietnam to become a non-permanent member since it is the only Asian candidate," said Trung. Observers said Vietnam was almost certain to win a seat as it faced no competition from other Asian countries.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Norio Hattori, recently said to local media that it was the time for Vietnam to be a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. As one of the UN's best examples of good economic and social governance, human resources development and other positive indications, the Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, Lal T. Muana said the move fitted with the country's rising profile as one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The world hears a lot about Vietnam, it is time they hear from Vietnam," the Indian Ambassador said, adding that "they need to see how the rising Asian star performs in the international arena." Apart from confirming the Philippines' support for Vietnam's candidacy as a UN Security Council non-permanent member, the Philippines' ambassador to Vietnam Laura Q. Del Rosario expressed her confidence that "Vietnam will be able to make a significant contribution to fulfilling the goals of the UN Security Council."

Talking about the role Vietnam will play when it becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Professor Carlyle A. Thayer from the Australian Defence Force Academy, said that Vietnam's basic position would be to uphold national sovereignty and the leading role of the UN in the maintenance of global peace. In October 2006, thanks to its growing stature and prestige in the region, Vietnam was chosen to be the sole representative of 54 Asia-Pacific countries for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-2009 term. The UN Security Council has five permanent members China, France, Russia the US and the UK. The vote for the position will be carried out on October 16, 2007.

Ambassador Le Luong Minh, head of Vietnam's permanent mission to the UN, said Vietnam joined the UN in September, 1977 and registered in February 1997 to become a UN Security Council seat candidate. It has since then actively participated in UN projects, particularly in global peace efforts. If it wins a seat, Vietnam could become an active member in November, although official membership would begin in January 2008, Minh said. He said Vietnam supported wider participation of the council's permanent and non-permanent members with a bigger presence in developing countries.