Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnam mission to the UN  (Photo: VNA)

Addressing a meeting of the Legal Committee (Sixth Committee) of the UN General Assembly’s 75th session on October 20 in New York, Quy emphasised the important role of the rule of law at national and international levels in socio-economic development, human rights assurance, and maintenance of international peace and security.

Activities promoting the rule of law at the national level should focus on protecting vulnerable groups, and ensuring fairness and equality, especially in the context of ongoing complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

The diplomat stressed that international law and principles of the UN Charter are the basic foundation of the international system, and called on countries to respect the principles of peaceful settlement of international disputes, and uphold the role of international courts in peacefully settling international disputes and promoting adherence to the rule of law at the international level.

Regarding East Sea-related issues, Ambassador Quy said Vietnam is working together with other ASEAN countries to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asia region.

He expressed deep concern at the recent complicated developments in the East Sea, saying that these actions undermine trust among countries, increase tensions and affect peace, security and stability in the region.

The Ambassador urged all concerned parties to comply with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), promote confidence building, and refrain from unilateral actions that complicate the situation and increase tensions at the sea, peacefully settle disputes in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, including UNCLOS, and fully respect legal, political and regulatory processes of UNCLOS in defining maritime claims.

The Legal Committee is one of the six main committees of the UN General Assembly, grouping representatives from all 193 UN member states, to review legal issues. Topics currently being discussed at the Committee include the rule of law at national and international levels, reports of the UN Commissions on International Law and International Trade Law and measures to eliminate international terrorism./.VNA