Moscow (VNA) –Vietnam has taken correct and timely action on the East Sea issue bysending a diplomatic note to the UN Secretary General to oppose China'sclaim over the East Sea and assert Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly)archipelagos, according to Russian international law researchers and experts.

Professor Vladimir Kolotovfrom Saint Petersburg University stressed that Vietnam’s act proves it is a responsible member of theinternational community and that the country is protecting its nationalinterests in line with the UN Charter and the norms of international law.

The Russian expert reiterated that whenelected to the position of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council,Vietnam received a record number of supporting votes.

This shows Vietnam's increasing international reputation, he said, adding that 2020offers a series of opportunities for Vietnam to deploy effective diplomaticactivities within the UN and ASEAN, contributing to making the world a saferand fairer place.

Sharing Kolotov’s opinion, Grigory Trofimchuk,an international security expert, said the East Sea is not only an issue forVietnam-China relations or Southeast Asia, it is also an important issue forthe UN.

He said in the comingtime, after the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled, a large internationalconference on the East Sea issue should be organised.

Without any mechanism toprevent a global conflict originating in the region, the internationalcommunity should find a solution to the issue, he noted.

The Russian experts highlyappreciated Vietnam's role in strengthening intra-bloc solidarity in ASEAN aswell as in consolidating the bloc’s position.

Kolotov said as the Chair of ASEAN 2020, Vietnamcan enhance its role by promoting solidarity in the region.

For his part, Trofimchuksaid ASEAN is not only an economic organisation, but also a politicalorganisation and has an overwhelming advantage over many other organisationsoperating in the region.

The East Sea issue is in the area of direct responsibility of ASEAN, so thisorganisation should be at the forefront of implementing its efforts to stabilisethe situation.

As the host country forthe ASEAN Summit 2020, and a directly relevant party of the East Sea issue, Vietnamis expected to make specific proposals to resolve this issue, he said.

Vietnam's stance is extremely important, he stressed, confirming that the basisfor resolving East Sea-related issues is peace and through political anddiplomatic negotiations.

While answering international reporters’queries about the issue on April 9, spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry ofForeign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang emphasisedthat Vietnam's consistent stance is resolving disputesin the East Sea through peaceful means on the basis of international law asdefined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS1982).

The viewpoint wasclearly and fully expressed in a diplomatic note recently sent by the Vietnam Permanent Mission to the UN, Hang said, adding that circulating such a note atthe UN is a normal procedure./.