Statement by H.E. Mr. Dao Viet Trung, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam

19 March 2003


Madame Chairperson,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I wish first to congratulate you and other members of the Bureau on your election to the high offices of this Session. I am confident that under your able guidance, our Session this year will overcome the challenging tasks ahead and bring about a successful conclusion.

I also warmly welcome the new High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. We highly appreciate his efforts to promote constructive cooperation and dialogue in the field of human rights and wish him every success in this endeavor.

For its part, the delegation of Vietnam would like to assure you, the Bureau and the High Commissioner of its full cooperation and continued constructive contributions to our common efforts for the success of this Session.

Madam Chairperson,

This is the third year Vietnam participates in the Commission as a full member. These first three years of the new Millennium have been offered not only with great opportunities, but also with no less compelling challenges.

Mankind entered the new Millennium with great expectations of a new opportunity of peace, development and prosperity for all nations. However, these expectations have been since overshadowed by fears and worries about the danger of contagious terrorism, increasing tendency towards unilateralism and power politics, as well as serious situations of poverty, inequality, conflicts and epidemics that continue to spread over various parts of the world.

The new world situation as such has not only contradicted the common endeavors for peace and development of all nations but also adversely affected our shared cause for the protection and promotion of human rights as well as the work of this Commission.

For development and for the promotion of human rights it is of vital importance to ensure an environment of peace and stability, which is free from outside interference in the internal affairs of states.

At this very moment, the whole world is following with great concern over the urgency and complexity of the looming danger of war in Iraq. We share the strong aspiration of all peoples the world over that such a danger of war must be driven back and the hard-won international peace be maintained. The United Nations should demonstrate the ability to play its role and responsibility towards that objective as conferred by the Charter. As a nation having endured untold sufferings from war, Vietnam fervently desires and strongly supports the resolution of problems in international relations by political means in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law. War must be avoided, as war, once breaking out, would certainly entail enormous human sufferings and property losses; jeorpady of international peace and stability and chaos in world economy.

We share the common determination to resolutely eliminate terrorism from the human life and civilization. At the same time, it is our opinion that the fight against terrorism must be pursued in full compliance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, especially that of respect for national sovereignty and independence.

Vietnam joins the international community in calling for an end to violence in the Middle East and for an early, fair and lasting solution to the conflict, which ensures the inalienalbe rights of the Palestinian people and the legitimate interests of the parties concerned.

Vietnam also calls for an end to embargoes imposed against some countries, including Cuba, so that the people of those countries could be able to overcome the hardships endured and muster their energy and efforts for national construction and development.

Madam Chairperson,

Human rights are integrated and indivisable. Human rights include, first and foremost, the right to live in peace, freedom and independence, the right to equality, respect of the human dignity and a better life. Both the civil and political rights and the economic, social and cultural rights must always be promoted altogether.

In this regard, poverty reduction and development should be seen as a top priority to further facilitate the full exercise of all human rights. It is all the more so when over 800 million people still now live in miserable living conditions, with lack of access to the most basic human needs such as foods, clean water, and health care.

In a situation of continued inequality in international relations and unevenly distributed benefits of globalisation, it is the developing countries that suffer most.

We must therefore double our efforts for development cooperation and for the setting up of equal, healthy and mutually beneficial international economic and trade relations. Developing countries should be given favourable conditions and assistance in their economic development and international economic integration.

Priority should also be given to accelerating the implementation of the commitments and goals set forth in the United Nations Millennium Declaration and those agreed upon at other international conferences on financing for development, social development and sustainable development.

In the promotion of human rights, the most appropriate way to pursue is through dialogue and cooperation to enhance mutual understanding and assistance. All nations, big or small, are equal and entitled to their own choice of the path of development that best suits their conditions. Each nation’s historical, traditional, social or cultural characteristics should be respected. The imposition of standards of one country upon another in the exercise of human rights should be removed.

I am confident that on the basis of the above-mentioned goals and principles, this Session will make active contributions to the common cause of all nations.

Madame President,

As a nation having undergone untold hardships and sacrifices, the Vietnamese people consider human rights and fundamental national rights to peace, independence, freedom and happiness to be sacred and inalienable rights that we have always been striving for.

Under the Constitution, laws and policies of the State of Vietnam, human rights in all their aspects are guaranteed. Our goal has always been to ensure the better realization of the rights and welfare of the people, through our efforts to build Vietnam into "a strong and prosperous country and a just, democratic and advanced society".

Over the past 17 years of renovation (Doi Moi), Vietnam has made great efforts and scored remarkable achievements in many areas, especially in improving the people’s living standards and in building a state based on the rule of law. Within the time span of just 10 years, Vietnam has doubled its GDP and maintained a fairly high rate of annual economic growth of around 7% in consecutive years, in spite of recent difficulties in the regional and global economy.

Together with economic growth, Vietnam has always attached great importance to ensuring social equality, giving special focus on the socio-economic development in mountainous and remote areas. In this direction, about 30% of state budget is allocated for development and poverty reduction is always high on the agenda. The rate of poor households has been cut down from 30% to 14% and it is expected to be further reduced to 12% by the end of this year. Since 2000, universal primary education and illiteracy eradication have been achieved in all cities and provinces. About 90% of the population now enjoys access to healthcare services. Although Vietnam still faces various difficulties, the life of the people in all parts of the country has been substantially improved and the rights of each and every person are guaranteed.

In external relations, Vietnam has consistently pursued the open-door foreign policy of peace, independence and cooperation for development, willing to be a friend and reliable partner of all countries. At present, Vietnam has diplomatic relations with around 170 countries and economic and trade relations with a similar number of countries and territories in the world. Vietnam has also been active in participating in regional and international organizations and in its efforts to integrate into the world economy and to prepare for achieving membership of the WTO.

In this regard, Vietnam will continue to further promote its external relations with a view to establishing stable frameworks of long-term cooperation and reliable partnership with all countries, as well as with regional and international organizations.

Each nation may have differrent social, cultural and traditional conditions. Cooperation will help promote common prosperity. We are therefore ready to pursue dialogue with other countries in the field of human rights, on the basis of cooperation, mutual understanding and respect, non-imposition and non-interference.

Vietnam is currently party to many important international conventions on human rights, including the two 1966 International Convenants on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights and on Civil and Political Rights, conventions related to women and children, some 15 ILO Conventions. This further reflects the policy, priority, commitment and responsibility of Vietnam in the field of protection and promotion of human rights.

Madam Chairperson,
Distinguished Delegates,


Given all the complexities of the present world situation, it is high time for the international community to make untiring efforts to uphold the very human values and fundamental principles of international law of peace, independence, sovereignty and cooperation for development.

Let us join in striving for a brighter future of peace and prosperity for all nations.

Vietnam will continue to make active contributions to that end.

Thank you for your attention.