PM Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Viet Nam shared the common concerns of the international community about nuclear terrorism and condemned terrorism . . .

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Viet Nam shared the common concerns of the international community about nuclear terrorism and condemned terrorism in all forms at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington yesterday, April 13.

Prime Minister active on sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit

Dung attended the two-day summit with leaders from 50 countries and international organisations worldwide, the largest gathering of countries hosted by the US since the founding conference of the United Nations in 1945.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) and US President Barack Obama at the nuclear summit.

The participants agreed that nuclear security should be focused upon due to the nuclear technology, weapons and materials that are potentially in the possession of rogue individuals and states with the intention of developing nuclear weapons. Not to mention that the trade of illegal nuclear materials and radioactive substances is still a problem and certain terrorist organisations have clearly shown their intent to use them for the wrong purposes.

The leaders affirmed that ensuring nuclear security is for the sake of the international community.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there are currently four risks to nuclear security including the theft of nuclear weapons, the manufacture of nuclear detonation materials, using nuclear materials and radioactive substances for the wrong purposes and attacking or destroying nuclear institutes.

The agency said that nuclear security is a means to prevent, realise and cope with the illegal activities of theft, destruction, illegal transportation of nuclear materials and radioactive substances.

At the summit, Dung emphasized that Viet Nam always put safety and security as top priority in the process of developing nuclear energy. The nation has actively set up a legal basis and administrative agencies for supervising the use of nuclear materials and radioactive substances.

He stressed that the country had decided to take part in the Convention on Nuclear Safety and advocated the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

As president of ASEAN this year, Viet Nam would actively contribute to building a properous Southeast Asian region without nuclear weapons, he said.

Viet Nam had demonstrated its high responsibility by participating in a number of international programmes and initiatives, including co-operation with the IAEA, the US and Russia on transferring uranium enrichment from high to low levels at a nuclear research pile, as well as co-operating with the EU, Japan and US on using equipment to measure radiation at Vietnamese ports.

Dung highlighted that the country had boosted the application of nuclear energy and begun a nuclear power programme, so it was eagerly willing to expand international co-operation in this field.

Viet Nam has signed bilateral nuclear co-operation agreements with Russia, China, France, India, South Korea, Argentina and recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the US.

Dung affirmed Viet Nam’s support for the directions and methods defined in the draft documents of the summit, including boosting the effectiveness of current international conventions and systems, heightening the responsibility of nations and mobilising the participation of the nuclear industry, organisations and individuals in complying with international laws and responsibilities.

Meanwhile, it was a necessity to meet the concerns of the countries which were developing nuclear energy in a safe, secure and effective way and create appropriate conditions for the IAEA to perform its duties as demanded by the international community, Dung said.

Nuclear disarmament

“Viet Nam strongly supports nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons to reach a nuclear weapon free world,” Dung said while meeting with US Vice President Joseph Biden and other heads of delegations on April 12 on the sideline of the summit.

Dung along with the other participants discussed priority issues of the international community regarding nuclear security.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese Prime Minister said Viet Nam wished to take advantage of nuclear energy for the country’s development.

He underlined the significance of the summit as well as the upcoming meeting to review the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty scheduled to take place in May, which he said would provide good opportunities for nations that want to highlight their political will and commitment on nuclear disarmament as well as non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Such events would also promote the safe uses of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including nuclear security, he added.

Meet with other leaders

Dung earlier held separate meetings with leaders of Japan, New Zealand, Morocco and the European Union (EU) on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in the US.

Meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Yukio Hatoyama, Dung thanked and spoke highly of the practical assistance Japan extended to Viet Nam’s national construction and development.

He also urged the Japanese Government to increase its official development assistance (ODA) to, and help Viet Nam carry out major infrastructure projects.

Hatoyama said that Japan would continue to co-operate with Viet Nam in implementing projects agreed upon by senior leaders of the two countries and provide a large volume of ODA to the Southeast Asian nation.

During Dung’s meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, both leaders noted with pleasure that both their bilateral friendship and co-operation have seen important developments in recent years.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit to New Zealand in late 2009 marked the lifting of the Viet Nam-New Zealand relationship to a new level of a comprehensive partnership, they said.

Key said New Zealand attached great importance to promoting its comprehensive partnership with Viet Nam, and that he would visit Viet Nam in the near future to see with his own eyes the country’s development.

Talking with Moroccan Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, Dung hailed the positive progress in the two countries’ relations since the former’s visit to Viet Nam two years ago.

Viet Nam and Morocco should make greater efforts to fully tap their potential for stronger co-operation and uphold strengths in tourism, agriculture, mining and fertiliser production, Dung said.

He suggested the two nations increase regular meetings between concerned agencies and businesses to share information and experience so as to grasp opportunities to boost bilateral co-operation as well as tripartite co-operation with a third African country.

At a meeting with EU President Herman Van Rompuy, Dung stressed that Viet Nam and the EU should strive to build their relationship into a model of co-operation between a developed union and a developing nation.

The PM applauded the EU’s recent positive report on the country’s market economy status and urged the EU to quickly recognise Viet Nam’s satisfaction of the remaining standards and facilitate two-way trade. President Rompuy said the EU treasures its relations with Viet Nam, expressing his belief that the two sides would soon sign the Partnership Co-operation Agreement and the Free Trade Agreement.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News