VN presides over first disarmament sitting
VGP – Ambassador Lê Hoài Trung, turning Chairman of the Conference on Disarmament (CD), head of the Vietnamese delegation at CD, yesterday presided over the first plenary session of the CD in 2009 at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
Expressed Việt Nam’s honor of being the CD Chairperson, Ambassador Trung stressed that Việt Nam undertakes the mission, with its commitments and its diplomatic policy for independence, peace, cooperation and development.
Việt Nam follows the consistent policy of fostering peace, preventing war and promoting disarmament and international security in line with the UN Charter and international laws, Mr. Trung said.
He highlighted Việt Nam’s contributions to peace, friendship and cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The first CD session will last until February 15, attracting the attendance of CD Secretary General Sergey Ordzhonikidze and representatives of 65 CD member countries.
The meeting agreed that disarmament, respect for self-determination and national independence, peaceful solutions for conflicts, and the consolidation of international peace and security are interrelated issues.
The meeting also asserted that CD should play an important role in enhancing security and development interests amid traditional challenges and newly-arisen ones, such as the dissemination of mass destructive weapon, terrorism, food and energy security, and climate change.
Every year, CD works for 24 weeks with six sessions which will be alphabetically presided over by a member nation each. In 2009, Việt Nam, followed by Zimbabwe, Algeria, Argentina, Australia and Austria, will take turn to fulfill the mission./.
By Hoàng Nguyên
