Vietnam has expressed its professionalism in diplomacy, its braveness in protecting the principles that it supports and ensuring pragmatism in seeking solutions, commented the Executive Director of Security Council Report, Colin Keating.

The Executive Director of Security Council Report, Colin Keating.

In a meeting with the press in Hanoi on March 10, Keating expressed his good impressions about his first year in Vietnam as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Keating emphasized that Vietnam has played a significant role in solving many international issues at the UNSC, such as those related to Myanmar, Nepal and East Timor.

Citing the conflict in Darfur (Sudan), Keating said that Vietnam was brave in protecting its perspective about sensitive international issues and showed its professionalism when it chose peaceful and balanced solutions.

According to Keating, members of the UNSC recognized that Vietnam has principles to ensure balance and brought out balanced viewpoints.

“I can say that in the recent term, Vietnam did very well. You expressed your professionalism in diplomacy, braveness in protecting the principles that you support, while ensuring pragmatism in seeking solutions. Vietnam has received the respect of partners,” he said.

The Executive Director of Security Council Report also said that Vietnam “didn’t have any failures” in the past year, because of its draft resolutions, suggested to the UNSC, that were passed.

“Vietnam cooperated very well with the 14 remaining members to try to have collective solutions,” Keating said.

He believed that Vietnam built the foundation in its first year at the UNSC to fulfill more difficult tasks this year. Vietnam will again assume the UNSC chairmanship in October 2009.

He said from now on, Vietnam needs to build a project and prepare for implementation in October, when Vietnam starts holding the UNSC Chairmanship. Preparation needs a lot of time because Vietnam will have to seek the support of inside and outside members of the UNSC.

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