PM Nguyen Tan Dung (L) and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, New York, the US, September 27, 2013 - Photo: VGP

Secretary General Ban spoke highly of the country’s active role in ASEAN community and welcomed its decision to join the UN-led peacekeeping operations.

Mr. Ban also expressed his hope that Viet Nam and the UN would continue to expand cooperation in realizing long-term development goals.

PM Dung said that Viet Nam’s renewal process has brought back major achievements, including the fulfillment of almost all Millennium Development Goals.

He affirmed the country’s determination to pursue comprehensive reform, in which key elements are sustainable economic development, social equality acceleration, building of law-based State, and better protection of citizens’ rights.

Viet Nam will also continue to pursue its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversification and multi-lateralization of international relations while actively speeding up international integration as a trusted friend and partner and a responsible member of the international community.

Reaffirming the country’s efforts in implementing the UN’s strategies and action plans, PM Dung expressed his hope that the UN would continue to provide assistance for Viet Nam, particularly in institutional capacity building, human resource development, policy consultation for growth model transformation and others.

He called on the UN to contribute to accelerating issues like the equal and proper exploitation of Mekong river water, and settlement of disputes in the East Sea in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea./.

By Hai Minh