Vietnam calls for stronger int’l links to tackle security challenges  Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich stressed the need to boost links among countries worldwide and promote the role of security mechanisms within Asia Pacific to deal with security challenges.   Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich speaks at the conference In his keynote speech at the second session of the 5th Moscow Conference on International Security on April 27, the Vietnamese official said Asia Pacific faces increasing security risks such as conflict threats, nuclear weapon dissemination, territorial disputes, and violations of international law, along with global non-traditional security challenges of terrorism, cyber attacks and migration. These are threatening peace and stability in the region and the world, he said. Enhanced cooperation among regional countries is needed to cope with the problems, Lich said, adding that the ASEAN should take a central role in the issue. He asserted Vietnam’s principle of ensuring national interests in line with international law and on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, stating that the country is pursuing a consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, international integration, and being a reliable partner of all countries as well as a responsible member in the international community. Lich said he hopes Russia will further bolster bilateral and multilateral relations with countries in Asia Pacific, thus facilitating cooperation particularly in trade and economics. He called for Russian’s greater responsibility in the region on the basis of international law, through participating more in regional security mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), t he ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+), where ASEAN plays a central role; as well as the Shangri La Dialogue. “Asia Pacific is large enough for regional countries to live together peacefully and reap great strategic interests,” Lich said. The two-day conference, with the participation of 500 delegates from over 80 countries and international organisations, convenes four plenary sessions, focusing on how to deal with terrorism and global security challenges, and possibilities of international defence cooperation in Asia Pacific to address the issues. The Vietnamese delegation led by Defence Minister Lich attended all the sessions. VNA