Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign MinisterDang Dinh Quy has stressed the need for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to takethe lead in promoting peace and security based on the UN Charter andinternational law – a prerequisite to sustainable development.

Addressing the 18th NAM Ministerial Meeting heldin Baku, Azerbaijan, on April 5-6, Quy also emphasised the importance ofsolving disputes by peaceful means and restraining from using and threateningto use violence.

NAM should play a more active role in boosting theimplementation of international commitments and agreements such as the 2030Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, andthe reform of the global economic and financial system, as well as in promotinginclusive, innovative and sustainable growth so as to protect interests ofdeveloping countries.

The Vietnamese delegate also urged NAM members to cooperateclosely with and support each other and resolutely follow basic principles tomake the movement stay firm on the face of the 21st century’schallenges.

Deputy Minister Quy went on to say that Vietnam, togetherwith other ASEAN countries, always obeys and upholds principles of the UNCharter and international law.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnam calls on relevantparties to restrain themselves and tackle disputes by peaceful measures on thebasis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of theSea, while respecting diplomatic and legal progresses, the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea, and working towards the early formation ofa binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea, Quy added.

In opening the NAM Ministerial Meeting, AzerbaijaniPresident Ilham Aliyev stressed that respecting international law is crucial tomaintain peace and international security for sustainable development.

NAM should continue promoting the principles of respectingcountries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, not interfering into other’sinternal works, not using or threatening to use violence, and settling alldisputes by peaceful means, he stated.

The conference focused discussions on how to deal withregional and global challenges, foster socio-economic development, strengthenpeace, stability and international security, and boost collaboration among NAMmembers.

They passed the meeting’s document which affirms NAM’sstance and overall principles on regional and global issues along with the commitmentsto handling disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international,acknowledges ASEAN’s efforts to build the ASEAN Community and strengthen thebloc’s central role in the regional structure, and calls for the peacefulsettlement of the East Sea issue.

The meeting also adopted the Baku Declaration, Declarationon Palestine and Special Declaration on Nelson Mandela International Day.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Quywas received by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

Quy also had bilateral meetings with delegates fromNicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania,Uganda and the Maldives to talk ways to boost bilateral cooperation.-VNA