Vietnam backs facilitation of dialogue, cooperation in Persian Gulf: Official

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Minh Khoi at the online debate on October 20 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Given its friendly relations and cooperation with all countries in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, Vietnam is willing to contribute to the formation of an environment that facilitates dialogue and cooperation for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Minh Khoi has said.

He made the remarks at a UN Security Council (UNSC) ministerial-level debate entitled “Comprehensive review of the situation in the Persian Gulf region”, held online on October 20.

Khoi said that if not properly addressed, recent instabilities in the Gulf could lead to unpredictable consequences involving conflict and humanitarian crises in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Palestine, and Lebanon.

He emphasised that all parties involved hold important roles and responsibilities in ensuring regional peace and stability, adding that there is a need for concerted efforts to push for respect of international law, the UN Charter, UNSC-related resolutions, and international commitments.

It is also necessary for parties to refrain from actions or announcements that could further complicate the situation, and to make efforts to boost dialogue and negotiations aimed at tackling differences, Khoi noted.

It is a suitable time, he went on, to consider and adopt specific actions in order to bring the notion of having a collective security mechanism in the Gulf into reality. Such a mechanism should match regional conditions and be based on principles in the UN Charter and international law, particularly those on sovereign equality, territorial integrity, non-violence, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Dialogues on common benefits relating to regional security, such as the resolution of the Israel - Palestine issue and anti-terrorism, could pave the way for an easing of tensions and the building of trust, he emphasised.

He said a comprehensive security approach ought to include the role of regional organisations, hence the importance of encouraging cooperation between such organisations in the Middle East and the UN and the UNSC in conflict prevention, mediation, and preventive diplomacy in line with the UN Charter.