VN declares role on human rights

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Cuong told Viet Nam News Agency that Viet Nam’s participation was also meant to promote relevant issues in Viet Nam and other member states, such as ethnic groups, people with disabilities, women, and children.

He said the nation considered the forum an opportunity to present its achievements and highlight its cooperation with the international community.

Vietnamnews | Mar 05, 2015

GENEVA (VNS) — Viet Nam has spoken out about its role at the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC).

Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong, said his nation supported dialogues and co-operation, upheld international law, promoted consensus, and worked to reduce confrontation and impositions of opinions in discussions at council.

Cuong was addressing a high-level segment of the HRC’s 28th session in Geneva, Switzerland.

He said that after almost 10 years in existence, the HRC had played a central role in promoting respect for and the protection of human rights in all countries. And it had helped raise awareness in the international community and built a more objective and comprehensive approach to the subject.

Cuong said the council had provided timely responses to major concerns about international human rights, including crises and serious violations.

He said Viet Nam hoped the HRC , its subsidiary agencies, and the secretariat would further improve their effectiveness while ensuring transparency and impartiality.

“Viet Nam expects the council and its subsidiary bodies to better support developing countries, given their various challenges in socio-economic development, and in ensuring human rights in practice,” Cuong said.

“Furthermore, we believe that the council should pay more attention and allocate additional resources to issues related to the rights of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, ethnic minority groups, the elderly and persons with disabilities”.

As a member of the HRC, he said Viet Nam had actively and constructively played its role with the highest responsibility and wished to substantively and meaningfully contribute to the work of the council..

The Deputy Minister highlighted his country’s achievements in the protection and promotion of human rights as well as efforts in realising international commitments on human rights, including the Universal Periodic Review’s accepted recommendations and voluntary pledges it made in support of its candidacy to the HRC.

He said the country also ratified the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatments or Punishments (CAT) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Cuong delivered a speech at a high-level discussion on promoting the global standardisation of CAT.

He also met foreign affairs officials from Georgia, Japan, Serbia, Cyprus, and the United States to discuss measures to strengthen bilateral co-operation at the HRC and other multilateral forums.

Cuong told Viet Nam News Agency that Viet Nam’s participation was also meant to promote relevant issues in Viet Nam and other member states, such as ethnic groups, people with disabilities, women, and children.

He said the nation considered the forum an opportunity to present its achievements and highlight its cooperation with the international community.

The HRC’s 28th session will end today. Senior officials from more than 90 countries and international organisations are attending. — VNS