Peaceful negotiation is the
only way to resolve the dispute over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos
(Paracel - Spratly Islands).
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Vietnam Prime
minister Nguyen Tan Dung
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The UN Charter prohibits
the threat to use force or use of force between countries. The United Nations
has also defined that member states must solve disputes by peaceful means.
For the two archipelagos of
Hoang Sa and Truong Sa of Vietnam, China used force three times to occupy
islands: the first time was in 1956 to seize the eastern part of Hoang Sa; the
second time in 1974 to occupy the entire archipelago; and the third time in 1988
to seize some rocks and sandbanks of the Truong Sa Archipelago. This policy of
China violated international law and was contrary to the trend in the world and
in the region.
The UN Charter stipulates:
"States have a duty not to use or threaten to use force to violate the
existing international boundaries of another State or as measures to resolve
international disputes, including territorial disputes and problems concerning
frontiers of countries."
On the basis of
international law, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam resolutely defends its
sovereignty and territorial integrity while respecting the principles not to
use force or threaten to use force to resolve conflicts, and consistently
advocates settlement of disputes by peaceful negotiation, especially the
dispute over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan
Dung recently stressed this policy of Vietnam in his speech at the National
Assembly meeting: "Vietnam’s consistent stance is that the Hoang Sa
Archipelago belongs to Vietnam's sovereignty. We have sufficient evidence and
legal history to confirm this. But Vietnam advocates negotiation and peaceful
means to settle claims over the Hoang Sa Archipelago.”
Our policy for the Truong
Sa Archipelago is to seriously implement the UN Convention on the Law of the
Sea in 1982, seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
the East Sea (DOC) and the bilateral agreements signed recently between Vietnam
and China. We request the parties to maintain the status quo, and do not take
actions that make the situation more complex, affecting peace and stability in
this region."
Earlier, the joint
statement on the official visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu
Trong stated: "Before settling the dispute in the sea, both sides together
preserve peace and stability in the East Sea, keep calm and maintain restraint,
not take actions that make the situation more complicated or extend the
dispute, not let the hostile forces sabotage relations between the two
Parties and States, and handle problems with a constructive attitude".
Vietnam and China also
signed an "agreement of basic principles guiding the settlement of sea
issues".
Peaceful settlement of
disputes over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos is responsive to the
aspirations of peace of the Vietnamese and Chinese people, in accordance with
the principles of international law and the UN Charter, consistent with the
interests of peace, stability and cooperation in Southeast Asia, Asia - Pacific
and the entire world. That is the only right way.
As one of the five
permanent members of the UN Security Council, China has a huge obligation to
respect and implement the UN Charter. Public opinion in Southeast Asia and
around the world awaits a positive response from China.
Source: VNN
