said Do Hung Viet, director general at Department of International Organisation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

An open debate of the United Nations Security Council on the Middle East situation, including Palestine held on January 21 under the chair of Viet Nam.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications held on Tuesday in Hanoi, he said Vietnam has successfully completed the set tasks despite facing a lot of challenges.

“As a non-permanent member of UNSC, Vietnam has shown its stance of following the UN Charter and basic principles of international law, supporting the finding of solutions to regional and international conflicts through peaceful negotiations in the spirit of independence, activeness, responsibility and balance,” Viet said.

Viet Nam has also promoted its experience in the process of national development, international and regional integration, he said.

Viet believed the results achieved in the past six months would create favourable conditions and act as momentum for the country to do better in the future.

He attributed the achievement to the Party’s foreign policy, close leadership of the Government and coordination between ministries and agencies as well as the role of the press.

Do Hung Viet, director general at Department of International Organisation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaks at the meeting.

According to Viet, the country has gradually participated in UNSC activities in a more deep and proactive manner. This was demonstrated by the fact that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Bình Minh has taken part and made a speech at a high-level virtual meeting entitled "75th Anniversary of the end of World War II" in response to an invitation by the Estonian Foreign Minister.

Viet Nam and a number of countries proposed the Security Council to meet on the COVID-19 pandemic and urged the Security Council to issue a document on the issue.

As the president of the Security Council in January, Viet Nam has chaired and coordinated many regular and irregular tasks, including chairing formal meetings and confidential consultations of the Security Council, promoting negotiations and chairing Security Council decisions.

In addition, Viet Nam presides over work between the Security Council member countries and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, maintaining regular cooperation with local and international press on behalf of the Council, approving and circulating important documents of the Security Council in the position of President.

Viet emphasised that Viet Nam took the initiative to organise two important events which attracted the attention of the United Nations, the international community and marked a milestone of Việt Nam at the UNSC.

The first event was an open debate of the UNSC with the theme 'Promoting compliance with the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security', he said.

It was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Bình Minh with the participation of 111 speakers. Under Viet Nam's leadership, for the first time, the Security Council adopted a separate Presidential Statement of compliance with the UN Charter.

As president of the Security Council, Viet Nam organised a meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and ASEAN. This was the first time this topic has been discussed at the UNSC.

“Through its activities at the UNSC, Viet Nam has enhanced its prestige and position as well as that of ASEAN in the international arena,” Viet said.

He also said Viet Nam has presented itself as a responsible member which actively took part in planning and implementation of decisions on international peace and security. — VNS