Nearly 200 domestic and foreign delegates will gather in Hanoi on August 12 for an international conference on multilateral foreign policy.

Distinguished guests scheduled to attend the event include former WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, former UN Under-Secretary General Jayantha Dhanapala, and former Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo.

The conference is the first of its kind to touch upon multilateral foreign affairs in the international integration process.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is expected to deliver a keynote speech, revealing the Vietnamese government’s due attention given to the event.

Participants will shed light on the implementation of Vietnam’s foreign policy over the past three decades, with a focus on achievements and experiences. They aim to reach consensus on actions to promote multilateral foreign policy in the new era.

The delegates will also work out measures to lift Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy to a higher level and encourage the country’s contributions to key regional and international issues when Vietnam is set to undertake many international roles in the next five-ten years.

Talking to the media prior to the conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed that Vietnam took part in many multilateral diplomatic forums at early stages to protect its national independence and sovereignty, such as the 1954 Geneva Conference which brought a truce in Vietnam.

Vietnam has drawn lessons from maintaining a consistent foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, thus diversifying its relations and securing a firm stand at multilateral forums, he noted.

Minh said the country has also grasped common trends and harmoniously deal with issues for mutual benefits, for peace, stability and development in Vietnam and the world as a whole.

VOV/VNN