The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is universal and unified, stated Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN.

She made the remark at a plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly’s 72nd session which convened in New York on December 5 to discuss item 77 on the UN agenda regarding oceans and the law of the sea.

Nga urged countries involved to respect and implement their duties to ensure peace, stability, and sustainable development of oceans and marine resources for benefits of people worldwide, including future generations.

Concerning the East Sea issue, the diplomat said Vietnam calls on parties involved to refrain themselves and resettle conflicts by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, to respect diplomatic and legal processes, and to continue their full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Vietnam welcomes the adoption of the framework for a code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea of ASEAN and China, Nga noted, suggesting the sides soon negotiate to build a feasible and legally-binding COC in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS.

At the meeting, participants also stressed the importance of the UNCLOS, which, they said, regulates all activities at sea and serves as a comprehensive legal framework to manage and use marine resources in a sustainable and fair manner, and to resolve disputes peacefully.-VNA