Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao, Vietnam’s representative at theUN’s International Law Commission (Photo: VNA)

At the 71st session’s second meeting from July 8to August 9, the ILC approved draft reports and comments on crimes againsthumanity, peremptory norms of general international law, and protection of theenvironment in armed conflicts.

The commission also discussed draft reports onsuccession of states in respect of State responsibility, immunity of Stateofficials from foreign criminal jurisdiction, and general principles of law.

Notably, the ILC mulled over and approved a workplan of the study group on impacts of the sea level rise in relation tointernational law, a new topic in the ILC’s agenda.

Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao, Vietnam’srepresentative at the ILC, proposed the building of regulations ofinternational law based on the principle of respecting countries’ independence,sovereignty and territorial integrity, human rights, and sustainabledevelopment.

Facts in Vietnam and the region highlighted byThao at discussions were highly valued by other ILC members, which alsorecognised the country’s proposals on the content and legal techniques tocomplete the ILC’s draft conclusions and principles before they are sent toseek UN member states’ opinions.

Thao voiced the country’s support for the approval of thedraft convention on crimes against humanity, commenting that the convention,which recognises the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, is aperemptory norm of international law.

At the meeting, Vietnam took over the task ofbuilding a report on Asian-Pacific countries and the sea level rise issue inrelation to international law.

Under climate change impacts, Vietnam and smallisland countries in the Pacific are most vulnerable to the sea level rise.Therefore, its participation in the study group on this new topic of the ILC isan occasion to reflect its and regional developing nations’ viewpoints onrelevant issues and to continue affirming and protecting the important role ofthe 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in resolving sea-related issues.

Thao is the first Vietnamese to be elected tothe ILC. He was elected for the position for 2017-2021 term at the UN GeneralAssembly in November 2016.-VNA