Ambassador Bui The Giang, who is Charge d’Affaires of Viet Nam’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, made the statement at the 66th General Assembly plenary session’s discussion on “Oceans and the Law of the Sea” on 6 December. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982, though not fully satisfying the interests and objectives of every State, does stand the test of time and has been the basis for action and cooperation in the marine sector, said Vietnamese Ambassador Giang.
“In many ways, the Convention constitutes an immense positive contribution to the promotion of international peace and security. It provides universally recognized legal framework for coastal states to establish and exercise rights and obligations in the maritime areas under national jurisdiction,” he said.
The Ambassador went on to say that the Convention advances the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes and provides for a mandatory system to be applied by States Parties to settle any dispute between them.
The provisions of the Convention are closely interrelated and form an integral package, thus not allowing for the possibility of a State Party to pick what it likes and to disregard what it does not like. States Parties, in exercising the rights under the Convention, must be willing to shoulder the corresponding obligations.
He underlined Viet Nam shares the common view on the enormous significance of sustainable use and development of the oceans and seas, with the maintenance of peace, stability and order at sea being an inseparable part thereof. The Ambassador said: “As a coastal state with a long coastline by the East Sea, Viet Nam is pleased to note the continued development of regional and international cooperation, including in the use and management of the East Sea.
In this regard, a key factor lies in the respect of the legal order established by the UNCLOS, to which most States surrounding the East Sea are Parties.
“In the East Sea, there exist difficult disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime boundaries, which if not properly managed and settled could negatively impact regional peace, security and stability, hinder the legitimate use of the sea and its resources therein for the developmental needs of the coastal states, as well as other cooperative efforts for sustainable development,” Ambassador Giang said.
He affirmed Viet Nam has worked tirelessly for peaceful solutions to existing disputes in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS, and acceptable to all parties concerned. Through peaceful negotiations, Viet Nam has successfully concluded agreements on the maritime delimitation in the Bac Bo Gulf with China and in the overlapped continental shelf with Indonesia, and on the joint development of the overlapped continental shelf with Malaysia, he added.
The diplomat said Viet Nam commends the adoption of the Guidelines for the implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (the DOC) and the stated commitments to working together towards the early finalization of a Code of Conduct. He affirmed Viet Nam will continue to join efforts with interested parties, particularly neighboring countries, to create an environment conducive to peace, cooperation, development and ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of all states in the East Sea./.
Source: MOFA