Vice Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet

Vice Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet on April 29 affirmed Vietnam’s support for the right to develop and use atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

Viet told the ministry’s regular press conference that the responsibility for ensuring nuclear safety and security belongs to states, but it requires strong and transparent international cooperation in information sharing and responsible response if any incident or accident happens.

Vietnam advocates the maintenance of regional peace and stability and the protection of the maritime environment and maritime resources in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Viet said.

Most recently, he went on, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and his Korean counterpart Chung Eui-yong discussed international and regional issues of common concern during their phone talks on April 28.

They agreed to enhance all-level exchanges, especially at high levels, via flexible forms like teleconferenced talks, strengthen ties between the two foreign ministries, and support and closely coordinate with each other within regional and international cooperation frameworks like the UN and ASEAN, according to the Vice Spokesman.

Noting Vietnam’s viewpoint on the reception of Vietnamese nationals returning from the UK, he said the reception has been carried out on the basis of the Vietnam-UK agreements, along with international law and practices, including the memorandum of understanding signed by the two governments on October 28, 2004 on migration issues, so as to ensure the citizens’ rights and legitimate interests and accord with the countries’ legal regulations.

Vietnam hopes that the UK side will always create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community there to integrate and contribute to the prosperous development of the UK, and also to bilateral relations, he said, adding that the Vietnamese Government supports legal, safe, and orderly migration while resolutely preventing and fighting against illegal migration, the arrangement of illegal migration, and human trafficking.

According to the Vice Spokesman, the Prime Minister of Vietnam on February 9, 2021 approved a programme on human trafficking prevention and control for the 2021-2025 period, with a vision to 2030, that includes the task of enhancing the combat against human trafficking in international migration.

Vietnam is also continuing efforts to achieve the targets of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration under the plan issued by the Prime Minister on March 20, 2020 so as to create a transparent migration environment and protect the rights and legitimate interests of migrants, Viet added.

The country has been stepping up cooperation with countries and organisations, including the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), to prevent, detect, investigate, and deal with illegal migration rings in line with the law.

Vietnam is ready to discuss and coordinate with other countries to handle related cases in a timely manner and ensure legal and safe migration for the sake of migrants’ rights and legitimate interests, the Vice Spokesman affirmed./.

 A so-called “Rewards for Justice” programme in the United States is violating the human rights of some of the individuals it targets, independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday. 

Operated by the US State Department, the anti-terrorism programme offers money for information on people outside the country, who the Government has designated as being associated with terrorism, although they have not been charged with any crimes.  

It also offers financial incentives to foreigners who claim to have terrorist ties, if they cooperate with US authorities. 

Targeting fugitives

“Many of the people targeted by the Rewards for Justice programme have had their due process rights denied”, Alena Douhan,  Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures said, in a statement endorsed by UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. 

Offering money to foreign individuals, allegedly involved in or associated with US-deemed terrorist activity – including Iran, Cuba and other States – comes with the threat of sanctions should they not cooperate with Washington’s demands.  

According to the UN experts, these sanctions violate a number of rights, including their right to work, freedom of movement, reputation and life. 

Moreover, there is no possibility of accessing justice to protect these rights. 

Ms. Douhan maintained that as those rights entail the presumption of innocence and fair trial, which the US is obliged under international law to respect, by offering money for information towards capture, “the programme encourages others to participate in the denial of these rights”. 

“Such offers are reminiscent of wanted posters that target fugitives from justice – fugitives charged with crimes or who have warrants for their arrest”, she said. 

Forced labour 

The Special Rapporteur made the case that pushing “an individual [to] carry out tasks against their will under the threat of a penalty” amounts to forced labour, as defined by International Labour Organization (ILO) agreements. 

Noting that the US has accepted that definition, she reminded that “forced labour is prohibited by treaties, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the United States has ratified”. 

Respect international law in fighting terrorism  

Ms. Douhan respectfully urged the US Government to review its Rewards for Justice Programme “to ensure that its activities are aligned with international law”. 

Fighting terrorism...shall only be done with due respect to human rights -- Special Rapporteur

“Fighting terrorism is obviously necessary, but it shall only be done with due respect to human rights, international humanitarian and refugee law, in line with the UN Global Strategy on Counter-Terrorism”, she spelled out. 

The Special Rapporteur has raised this with the US Government, along with other issues concerning her mandate, but has thus far received no response, the experts’ statement said. 

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. Their positions are honorary, and they are not paid for their work.

 

Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations (UN), has reaffirmed Việt Nam’s support for the UN’s strategy to promote security and sustainable development in the Great Lakes Region in Africa.

Quý chaired the UN Security Council’s online meeting on the Great Lakes Region in Africa on Monday in his capacity as rotating President of the UNSC in April 2021.

Speaking at the meeting as a Vietnamese representative, Quý welcomed efforts to strengthen solidarity and cooperation of countries in the Great Lakes Region.

However, he also shared the UNSC’s common concern about the ongoing security instability and difficult humanitarian situation in the region.

Quý emphasised three main focuses to ensure peace and sustainable development in the region, including further promoting regional cooperation, settlement of root causes of conflicts, and increasing assistance from the international community.

Huang Xia, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary‑General for the Great Lakes Region, presented the Secretary-General’s latest biannual report on the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.

He said that countries in the Great Lakes Region have continuously maintained their commitments to promote cooperation at both regional and bilateral levels in recent years.

Regional countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda are now stepping up to promote the normalisation of bilateral relations as well as expanding cooperation with partners in and outside the region.

However, there remained challenges regarding the security situation in the region, especially in eastern Congo, where armed groups have been engaged in illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources, he said.

The Special Envoy further informed about a plan to deploy the UN’s strategy to promote peace and security in the region with a vision for the next 10 years, which was approved by the UN Secretary-General in October 2020.

The 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework was signed by 13 countries in the Great Lakes Region to cooperate in maintaining peace in Congo and the region. The agreement is sponsored by the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Great Lakes Region and the UN./.