Mr Minh said the biggest challenge emerging from this mission will be direct pressures from major countries and the impact from other countries’ action regarding regional security issues when reflecting a viewpoint by casting votes at the UN Security Council. Such pressures come from the different viewpoints as well as interests between member and non-member countries of the UN Security Council.

Also, a mission with the UN Security Council will pose numerous issues of great concern such as increasingly complicated developments in the world while the UN Security Council’s decisions are often required to be made in a short time. Such a situation asks for timely policy-making decisions both at home and abroad. Also, it is the first time for Vietnam to undertake the tasks of a UN Security Council member and the country lacks experiences in some of these issues.

Vietnam will have to solve numerous complicated issues regarding world security and peace, including those related to the interest of major or regional countries.

Finally, it will also have to deal with a burden of work at the UN Security Council (there are more than 200 official and non-official meetings each year.)

However, Vietnam has more advantages than difficulties to fulfill its mission. First of all, the country receives strong international trust and support as shown through a large number of votes in favour of its non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council at the 62nd General Assembly. Secondly, peace, cooperation and development continue to be a major trend in the world in line with the Vietnam Party and State’s policy of independence, self-reliance, multi-lateralisation and diversification in foreign relations.

Vietnam is willing to become a friend and a reliable partner with other countries the world for the sake of peace, independence and development.

Thirdly, Vietnam’s external relations have made a huge leap after 20 years of renewal and the entire population is eager to increase the nation’s international prestige and to contribute more to the common cause of the region and the world as a whole.

Finally, Vietnam has gained experiences in major multi-lateral diplomatic drives, including complicated and prolonged multi-party negotiations such as the Geneva Conference in 1954 on peace for Indochina, the Paris conference in 1973 to end the war in Vietnam and establish peace for the country and a conference on Cambodia in 1991.

Vietnam’s experiences in hosting major international conferences should also be accounted for, including a Francophone conference in 1997, a Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1998, an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in 2005 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2006.

Vietnam’s UN membership for 30 years with a number of positions in the international body has also gained the country valuable experiences in building and implementing the policies and procedures of operations relating to multi-lateral forums and the UN itself. Its foreign relations personnel have also undergone numerous challenges and grown maturely enough in various fields.

“To participate actively, responsibly and efficiently in the activities of the Security Council, Vietnam’s premier principle is to abide by the UN Charter’s guidelines and purposes. On this basis, Vietnam will join other Security Council members to map out and implement the organ’s decisions on the world’s political and security issues.

“Vietnam supports multilateralism and considers the multilateral approach, typically through the UN and regional institutions, to deal with common issues as an effective and durable way.”

He stressed that Vietnam, with a full awareness of the necessity of continued reform of the UN mechanism in general and the Security Council in particular for its more democratic and representative quality, will do with all its might to contribute actively to the process.

Regarding Vietnam’s participation as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, the deputy minister emphasised: “Vietnam will join in all activities of the Council as a full member in its term from Jan. 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009.”

He detailed the country’s intents to join other members in seeking measures for issues related to world peace and security, to consider its roles as a chairman or vice chairman of some committees of the Council as well as its intermediary role in settling conflicts by peaceful solutions and sharing experiences in post-war reconstruction.

He underlined Vietnam’s position as the Council’s alternate chairman in July 2008, in which the country will have its first task in the Security Council of programming, organising and chairing a number of sessions, making chairmanship statements and promulgating documents.

“The two coming years will be busy years, promissing to bring challenges and opportunities for the development of Vietnam’s diplomatic sector. Experiences in taking initiatives at multilateral forums will be valuable lessons for Vietnam,” the deputy minister concluded.