Peacekeeping shows Vietnam’s
responsibility for global issues
(VOV) - Vietnam has
had peacekeepers in the field with the United Nations participating in
multinational humanitarian efforts in areas hit by civil war and political
unrest to assist in restoring law and order and providing a calming effect.
Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam
People’s Army Lieutenant. Gen. Vo Van Tuan recently visited the US where he led a high-level delegation
discussing Vietnam’s
peacekeeping operations.
On the occasion, General Tuan sat down with a
Washington-based Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) correspondent to provide his
insightful thoughts on the results of the visit. Following are key
excerpts from the interview:
VOV: Will you
provide us your thoughts about the overall purpose and results of your visit
to the US?
Mr Tuan: The Vietnam
government decided to participate in UN peacekeeping missions approximately
10 years ago. In December 2013 it increased the size and scope of its efforts
and officially established a Vietnam Peacekeeping Centre.
The US
visit aimed to lay out a roadmap for the centre and specifically identify the
types of peacekeeping efforts that Vietnam foresees itself
participating in.
The centre was officially inaugurated in May, 2014 at a
ceremony that was attended by many high-level dignitaries and officials,
including UN Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Ameerah Haq.
At the ceremony, the Vietnam Government dispatched
Lieutenant Colonels Mac Duc Trong and Tran Nam Ngan to serve as liaison
officers for a UN peacekeeping team in South Sudan.
During our visit we met with representatives from the
UN Headquarters from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and
the Department of Field Support (DFS) and worked with
Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet and UN
Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Ameerah Haq.
With unanimity, UN agencies representatives expressed
appreciation for the Vietnam
government’s desire to play a more active role in peacekeeping efforts and
confidence in its ability to do so.
Vietnam considers
these peacekeeping efforts as a major opportunity to demonstrate its
commitment and dedication to the cause of peace to the world as well as an
opportune occasion to show its respect for the UN Charter and international
law, particularly the 2013 revised Constitution.
In Washington
DC, we worked with officials
from the US Department of Defense, including the Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs and former Ambassador to
Vietnam David Shear.
They collectively pledged to provide assistance to Vietnam in joining UN peacekeeping missions
and expressed their sincere gratitude for the Vietnam government’s willingness
and eagerness to participate.
We also talked with Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Policy Anne A. Witkowsky and representatives from the Joint
Chiefs of Staff about peacekeeping tasks along with a number of exchanges
with UN missions and the US Institute of Peace.
VOV: What have
been Vietnam’s
major contributions to UN peacekeeping operations?
Mr Tuan: We have
participated in stabilizing areas hit by war and turmoil throughout the world
and many humanitarian tasks like army medical services, sappers and landmine
and unexploded ordnance (UXO) deactivation.
Vietnam has a
national plan to set up a level 2 field hospital and a company of
sappers based on UN guidelines and is scheduled to put them in proper fields
to ensure safety for Vietnamese forces.
Whether the forces join UN missions in South Sudan has
not yet been decided, but, we will conduct a survey in South
Sudan and scrutinize the issue.
VOV: The Defence
Ministry delegation will make a fact-finding tour of South
Sudan in the near future. Can you tell us about the mission of
the trip?
Mr Tuan: We will
visit a level 2 field hospital of Cambodia
and a unit of sappers of Japan
and meet two Vietnamese liaison officers who have been working there since
June.
As reported, the two officers are performing good tasks
there. We got an approval for extending their working term for another six
months.
Vietnam has
registered with the UN to establish a level 2 field hospital and a company of
sappers and pledged to realize specific contents towards signing a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) regarding this matter with the UN in the so not
distant future.
VOV: Thank you very much.
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