VietNamNet Bridge – Chair of the Canadian Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Raynell Andreychuk has said she will arrange for a meeting with the Vietnamese ambassador to discuss regional situation at the Canadian Senate.

He said this is a serious violation of the territorial sovereignty of Vietnam and international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), threatening regional peace, security and freedom of navigation in the East Sea.

Vietnam has exercised the utmost restraint and persisted with peaceful measures but showed its determination to defend its territorial sovereignty and to request China to stop wrongful acts by pulling the rig out of the Vietnamese coast.

The Vietnamese diplomat handed over a letter from the Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for Foreign Affairs, Tran Van Hang, to Raynell Andreychuck stating that the Vietnamese NA strongly opposes the illegal stationing by China of its floating oil rig in Vietnam’s waters which has infringed the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Vietnam, seriously violating international law and hurting the friendship between the two peoples.

Ambassador Dung suggested Raynell Andreychuck ask the Canadian Senate to protest and demand China respect international law, withdraw its oil rig from Vietnam’s waters, thereby bringing peace and stability to the region.

Raynell Andreychuck acknowledged and shared Vietnam’s concern about the ongoing situation in the region while commending Vietnam’s stance and restraint and wanting concerned parties to resolve the dispute by peaceful means.

She said the Canadian Senator will arrange a discussion on the regional situation with the Vietnamese ambassador at an appropriate time.

VOV/VNN