Vietnam supports dialogues and cooperation, upholds internationallaws, promotes consensus, and works to reduce confrontation andimpositions of opinions in discussions at the United Nations HumanRights Council (HRC).

Deputy Foreign MinisterNguyen Quoc Cuong, head of the Vietnamese delegation, made the remarkduring his address at the high-level segment of the HRC’s 28th sessionin Geneva, Switzerland, on March 3.

He continued tosay that after almost 10 years in existence, the HRC has played acentral role in promoting the respect for and the protection of humanrights in all countries. It has helped raise awareness in theinternational community and build a more objective and comprehensiveapproach on human rights.

The Council has providedtimely responses to major concerns of the international communityregarding human rights, including crises and serious violations of humanrights around the world , he added.

The officialsaid Vietnam hopes the HRC , its subsidiary agencies, and theSecretariat will further improve their effectiveness while ensuringtransparency and impartiality.

“Vietnam would alsoexpect the Council and its subsidiary bodies to better supportdeveloping countries, given their various challenges in socio-economicdevelopment, and in ensuring human rights in practice. Furthermore, webelieve that the Council should pay more attention and allocateadditional resources to issues related to the rights of vulnerablegroups, particularly women, children, ethnic minority groups, theelderly and persons with disabilities,” he noted.

Asa member of the HRC, “Vietnam has actively and constructively playedits role with the highest responsibility and wishes to substantivelycontribute meaningfully to the work of the Council”, Cuong said.

The Deputy Minister highlighted his country’s achievements in theprotection and promotion of human rights as well as efforts in realisinginternational commitments on human rights, including its UniversalPeriodic Review’s accepted recommendations and the voluntary pledgesVietnam made in support of its candidacy to the HRC. The country alsoratified the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman orDegrading Treatments or Punishments (CAT) and the Convention on theRights of Persons with Disabilities.

On thesidelines of the high level segment, the official attended anddelivered a speech at a high-level discussion on promoting the globalstandardisation of CAT. He also met with foreign affairs officials fromGeorgia, Japan, Serbia, the Republic of Cyprus, and the US to discussmeasures to strengthen bilateral cooperation and coordination at the HRCand other multilateral forums.

Cuong told VietnamNews Agency correspondents that Vietnam is attending the HRC’s 28 thsession to demonstrate its active role as an HRC member as well ascontribute to the enhancement of dialogues, cooperation and mutualunderstanding, and minimise difference and confrontation.

Its participation is also meant to promote relevant issues in Vietnamand other member states such as ethnic minority groups, persons withdisabilities, women, and children. Additionally, the nation considersthe forum an opportunity to present its achievements over the past yearsand highlight its cooperation with the international community inensuring human rights.

The high-level segment of theHRC’s 28 th session is taking place from March 2-5 with the attendanceof senior officials from more than 90 countries and internationalorganisations. The 28 th session will continue its working agenda untilMarch 27.-VNA