New York (VNA) – Ambassador Dang DinhQuy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations, reiterated thecommitments of ASEAN countries on the protection of civilians during armedconflicts in a speech on behalf of ASEAN countries at the open debate of the UNSecurity Council in New York on May 23.

According to Quy, ASEAN nations affirm thatgovernments of countries have the leading responsibility in the protection ofcivilians during armed conflict and that this task must be carried out inaccordance with the UN Charter and with respect for the sovereignty,territorial integrity, and political independence of the host countries.

ASEAN welcomes the assignment of somepeacekeeping missions to protect civilians and believes that the most effectiveprotection measure is preventing conflict, building peace, and conductingpreventive diplomacy work, he said.

Countries in the bloc shared regional experiencein preventive diplomacy and appealed for stronger cooperation between ASEAN andthe UN in experience sharing and training for participating in UN peacekeepingactivities, he added.

The ambassador shared that as a country that hasbattled in many wars for national independence and sovereignty, Vietnamsympathises with the pains of civilians in armed conflicts.

He called upon conflicting parties to abide byinternational humanitarian laws and relevant resolutions of the UN SecurityCouncil, and emphasised that UN peacekeeping missions should meet specificcharacteristics of their locations, as well as the importance of theparticipation of locals in this process to enhance their capacity in self-protectionand prevent the escalation of conflicts.

Ambassador Quy affirmed Vietnam’s commitments tocontribute to the international efforts, including the participation in theUnited Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Vietnam attaches great importance to training oninternational humanitarian law and adopts a no tolerance policy for sexualabuse in peacekeeping activities, he stressed.

The open debate saw the participation of nearly80 UN member countries, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and someregional organisations.

Countries stressed the need to increasemultilateral cooperation between the UN and regional organisations whilecontinuously integrating civilian protection issues into other activities ofthe UN on disarmament, human right protection, and sustainable development.

Many opinions emphasised the significance ofenhancing the training capacity for peacekeeping soldiers, increasingcoordination with local communities, and promoting the role of women and youthsin the field. –VNA